Provisioning a service for capturing broadcast content to a user device via a network

ABSTRACT

A server device that communicates with a user device and the server device is enabled to receive a request for a copy of content, the request including a first identifier associated with the content, information associated with the user device, and information associated with a broadcast station that is broadcasting the content. The server device may obtain a user profile associated with the user device and obtain a station profile associated with a broadcast station, and identify the content, in the station profile. The server device may obtain the copy of the content to enable the user device to access the copy of the content and send, to the user profile, a notification indicating that the user device is authorized to access to the content.

BACKGROUND

Computing and communication devices are capable of performing anincreasing variety of functions and tasks that continue to improve theuser's experience. For example, computing and communication devices canrun a variety of applications, can connect to a variety of wired andwireless networks to receive services, can access a variety of servicesand/or perform various functions associated with ecommerce, point ofsale transactions, social networking, downloading and uploading content,sending and receiving messages, etc.

These computing and communication devices (e.g., a smartphone, a tabletcomputer, home computer, laptop computer, automobile-based user device,server etc.) do not permit a user to download, purchase, or capturecontent that is being broadcast from a broadcast station via aparticular broadcast channel, and received and/or played on, forexample, an automobile stereo, a portable stereo, a home stereo system,a television, etc. (hereinafter, sometimes collectively referred to as a“audio/video device”).

SUMMARY

A server device that communicates with a user device associated with auser, where the user device receives content information associated withcontent that is broadcasted by a broadcast station, the server deviceincluding one or more processors executing instructions to receive, fromthe user device, a request for a copy of the content, the requestincluding a first identifier associated with the content, informationassociated with the user device, and information associated with thebroadcast station. The one or more processors may obtain a user profileassociated with the user device by matching the information associatedwith the user device to first information stored in the user profile,obtain a station profile, associated with the broadcast station, bymatching the information associated with the broadcast station to secondinformation stored in the station profile. The one or more processorsmay identify the content, in the station profile, by matching the firstidentifier to a second identifier, associated with the content stored inthe station profile and obtain the copy of the content to enable theuser device to access the copy of the content based on the identifyingthe content in the station profile. The one or more processors may send,to the user profile, a notification indicating that the user device isauthorized to access to the content.

A method performed by a server device, executing one or moreinstructions, that communicates with a user device associated with auser, where the user device receives content information associated withcontent that is broadcasted by a broadcast station, the method includingreceiving, by the server device from the user device, a request for acopy of the content, the request including a first identifier associatedwith the content, information associated with the user device, andinformation associated with the broadcast station, obtaining, by theserver device, a user profile associated with the user device bymatching the information associated with the user device to firstinformation stored in the user profile, and obtaining, by the serverdevice, a station profile, associated with the broadcast station, bymatching the information associated with the broadcast station to secondinformation stored in the station profile. The method may furtherinclude identifying, by the server device, the content, in the stationprofile, by matching the first identifier to a second identifier,associated with the content stored in the station profile, obtaining, bythe server device, the copy of the content to enable the user device toaccess the copy of the content based on the identifying the content inthe station profile and sending, by the server device to the userprofile, a notification indicating that the user device is authorized toaccess to the content.

A system including one or more user device, executing one or moreinstructions to receive content information associated with contentbroadcasted by a broadcast station. The system may also include one ormore server devices, executing one or more instructions, to receive,from the user device, a request for a copy of the content, the requestincluding a first identifier associated with the content, informationassociated with the user device, and information associated with thebroadcast station. The one or more server devices may obtain a userprofile associated with the user device by matching the informationassociated with the user device to first information stored in the userprofile, obtain a station profile, associated with the broadcaststation, by matching the information associated with the broadcaststation to second information stored in the station profile and identifythe content, in the station profile, by matching the first identifier toa second identifier, associated with the content stored in the stationprofile. The one or more server devices may obtain the copy of thecontent to enable the user device to access the copy of the contentbased on the identifying the content in the station profile and send, tothe user profile, a notification indicating that the user device isauthorized to access to the content.

A server device that communicates with a user device associated with auser, the server device including one or more processors executinginstructions to receive, from the user device, a request to accessprogram information associated with a broadcast station, the requestincluding information associated with the user device and informationassociated with the broadcast station, the program information includinginformation associated with content currently broadcasted by thebroadcast station, information associated with content previouslybroadcasted by the broadcast station, and information associated withcontent that is to broadcasted by the broadcast station in the future.The one or more processors may obtain a user profile, associated withthe user device, by matching the information associated with the userdevice to first information stored in the user profile and obtain astation profile, associated with the broadcast station, by matching theinformation associated with the broadcast station to second informationstored in the station profile. The one or more processors may grant theuser device access to the program information and receive a request fora copy of an arrangement of content that includes one or more firstidentifier associated with content included in the program information.The one or more processors may identify the arrangement of content, inthe station profile, by matching the one or more first identifierassociated with the arrangement of content to one or more secondidentifier associated with the arrangement of content that is stored inthe station profile and obtain a copy of the arrangement of content toenable the user device to access the copy of the arrangement of contentbased on the identifying the arrangement of content in the stationprofile. The one or more processors may send, to the user profile, anotification that the user device is authorized to access thearrangement of content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example environment in which the systems,methods, apparatus, technologies, and/or techniques, described herein,may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of example components of one or more of the devicesand/or servers of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example user device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of example components of the user device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example framework that may be associated withan application being hosted and/or executed by an application server ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example process that may be used toregister a device and/or server according to an implementation describedherein;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example user profile according to animplementation described herein;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an example station profile according to animplementation described herein;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an example user interface that may bedisplayed on a user device according to an implementation describedherein;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an example process that may be used toprovide content to a user device according to an implementationdescribed herein;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of example process by which an applicationserver may provide an arrangement of content to a user device, accordingto an implementation described herein;

FIG. 12A is a flow chart of an example process by which a user maydedicate content according to an implementation described herein;

FIG. 12B is a flow chart of an example process by which an applicationserver may enable the dedication of content according to animplementation described herein;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of an example process by which a user of a userdevice may purchase items associated with ad content according to animplementation described herein;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart of an example process by which an applicationserver may send ad content based on the location of a user device and aphysical advertisement according to an implementation described herein;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of an example process by which an applicationserver may recommend a broadcast station and/or autotune an audio videodevice according to an implementation described herein;

FIGS. 16 are flow charts of example processes by which an applicationserver may provide content associated with an entity to a user deviceaccording to an implementation described herein;

FIG. 17 is a flow chart of an example process by which an applicationserver may enable a user device to participate in a competitionaccording to an implementation described herein;

FIG. 18 is a diagram of an example graphic illustrating analytics thatan application server may provide according to an implementationdescribed herein; and

FIG. 19 is a diagram of another example graphic illustrating analyticsthat an application server may provide according to an implementationdescribed herein.

DESCRIPTION

The systems, methods, technologies, and/or techniques (hereinafter, the“systems and/or methods”) may enable a user, of a user device, tocapture, download, purchase, lease, rent, obtain, etc. (hereinafter,“capture”) to the user device, content that is being broadcast (from abroadcast station), and received and/or played on a media playerassociated with the user. The term broadcast, as used herein, mayinclude unicast, multicast, broadcast, transmitting, streaming,downloading, and/or otherwise sending any information or content overany wired, wireless and/or over-the-air medium. The term content mayinclude, without limitation, music, audio content, video content,images, text, or advertising content. The term broadcast station orstation may include a radio station (e.g., over an amplitude modulation(AM) broadcast channel, a frequency modulation (FM) broadcast channel, ahigh definition (HD)/digital radio (DR) channel, etc.), a televisionstation (e.g., over a television broadcast channel), an internet radio(e.g., streaming media broadcast channel), a satellite radio (e.g.,SiriusXM® satellite radio broadcast channel), etc.

The systems and/or methods may enable the user device to communicatewith an audio video device to obtain information and/or metadataassociated with the content (hereinafter, “content information”) that isobtained (e.g., by the audio video device) from content that is beingbroadcast. The systems and/or methods may enable the user device todisplay the content information to enable the user to identify thecontent and/or to determine whether to capture a copy of the content. Inthe event the user desires to capture the content, the systems and/ormethods may enable the user to select a single button on the user deviceto cause the copy of the content to be captured (e.g., to a user device)from an application server and/or station server via a network (e.g.,the Internet or some other public or private network).

The systems and/or methods may enable the user device to communicatewith the audio/video device to identify a particular a channelassociated with a broadcast (e.g., FM station, AM station, televisionstation, unicast/multicast/broadcast frequency band, satellite band,uniform resource locator (URL), etc.) (hereinafter “channelinformation”) over which the content is being broadcast and/or receivedby the audio/video device. The systems and/or methods may enable theuser device to provide the channel information to the application serverto enable the application server to identify the broadcast station fromwhich the content is being broadcast. The systems and/or methods mayalso enable the user device to provide, to the application server,information that identifies a location of the user device (e.g.,geographic area, coordinates, municipality, city, station, region,province, country, continent, etc.) (hereinafter, “locationinformation”) to enable the application server to identify and/or selectfrom two or more broadcast stations within a geographical area (e.g., acountry, a state, etc.) that share the same or similar broadcastchannel.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server to create astation profile associated with a broadcast station (and/or a serverassociated with the broadcast station which is hereinafter referred toas a “station server”) and a user profile associated with the userdevice. The systems and/or methods may enable the station server toprovide program information to the application server to be associatedwith the station profile. The program information may identify thestation server, the broadcast channel (e.g., FM channel, televisionchannel, broadcast frequency, URL, etc.), a schedule that identifiescontent previously broadcast, currently being broadcast and/or to bebroadcast at a future time, broadcast coverage area or location, and/orother program information associated with the broadcast station. Thestation server may from time to time provide updated program informationto enable to the application server to continuously and/or dynamicallyupdate the station profile over time based on the program informationand/or captured content identified in the station profile. Theapplication server may use the station profile and/or the user profileto manage and respond to request for content received from user device.

For example, the systems and/or methods may enable the applicationserver to receive a request, from the user device, to capture contentbeing broadcast by a broadcast station. In one non-limiting example, theapplication server may access the station profile to select, from theprogram information, an identifier associated with the requested contentand may associate the identifier with the user profile to cause thecontent to be downloaded, from the application server or some otherserver, to the user device. The application server may process a billand/or payment, associated with an account and/or award points (asfurther described herein) of a user of a user device, as a result of thecapture of the content. For example, the bill may be based on a captureof the content (e.g., when the user device receives a permanent copy ofthe content) and/or a lease of the content when the user device receivesa copy of the content for a specific time period or a period associatedwith a subscription and has the option to pay additional amount toextend the time period or capture a permanent copy. Additionally, oralternatively, the content may be captured for the time period of aparticular session (e.g., free of charge or for a subscription fee)after which the content is removed from the user profile and/or is nolonger accessible to the user device unless again captured as describedherein.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server to also, oralternatively, store information in the station profile, that indicatesthat the content was captured and may track and/or manage a quantity ortotal cost of captured content, associated with the broadcast station,that enables the broadcast station to participate economically in thetransactions involving captured content by, for example, receiving aportion of the payment price and/or proceeds from application server.Additionally, or alternatively, the user device may communicate directlywith the station server to request the content and the station servermay communicate with the application server to provide the content tothe user device (e.g., using the profile scheme described above).Additionally, or alternatively, the application server may provide acopy of the content to the station server for download to the userdevice.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server to manageand/or control the user profile to track and/or store informationassociated with a current or prior session. For example, the userprofile may include information that identifies a history of broadcastcontent (e.g., including time, date, radio station, station server,etc.) that was captured by the user device during a current sessionand/or a prior session. The user may use the user device to access theuser profile via the application server. The user may select content tocapture to the user device and/or a different user device specified bythe user. The user may also, or alternatively, access another userprofile associated with another user to capture content identified inanother user profile associated with another user. In this example, theother user may be prompted to authorize the user device to access theother user's user profile.

The user may also, or alternatively, use the user device to communicatewith a station server and/or application server to pre-order a listand/or arrangement of content to be broadcast to the public (e.g., anunspecified quantity of user devices and/or audio/video systems).Additionally, or alternatively, the arrangement may be ordered asunicast content to be transmitted to the user device or some other userdevice specified by the user at a particular time and/or a specifiedtime period (e.g., during a party, during hours of operation of arestaurant or nightclub, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, thearrangement may be ordered as multicast content to be transmitted to twoor more user devices specified by the user. In these examples, thearrangements may be stored, by the application server, in the userprofile. The user device may communicate with the application to capturesome or all of the arrangement at a time convenient to the user.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server to createcopies of the content, may process the copy to ensure that the copy issupported by the particular type of user device (e.g., by transcoding,compressing, encoding, decoding, converting data format based on aspectratio or frame rate, etc.). The application server may also, oralternatively, communicate with a server associated with contentprovider (hereinafter, a “content server”) to obtain one or more copiesof the content. Obtaining copies of the content may be pursuant to alicense agreement that enables the application server to make copies,process the content, download the content, advertise the content, etc.The application server may obtain a key from the content server thatenables the content to be encrypted, decrypted, etc. The applicationserver may provide a key to the user device that enables a copy ofencrypted content to be decrypted and/or played on the user device.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server to provideanalytics (e.g., raw data, analyzed data, patterns, statistics, etc.) tostation servers based on a quantity of captures and/or revenue receivedin connection therewith, for example, over time and/or relative to otherbroadcast stations, as further described herein.

The systems and/or methods may enable a user device to communicate withthe application server and/or station server to dedicate content to auser of another user device. The systems and/or methods may enable theapplication server and/or station server to provide advertising contentto the user based on the user profile which may identify the user'sfavorite content genres, prior captures, subscription level, quantity ofcontent points (described below), etc.

The systems and/or methods may enable the user device to select and/orobtain advertising content (hereinafter, “ad content”) from contentbeing broadcast from a station, from an application server and/oranother server and/or select ad content, for example, by selecting aparticular button on the user device (e.g., a keyboard button, touchinga button on the user interface, etc.). Selection of the ad content maycause the application server, station server, and/or a content server toprovide such content that can be displayed on the user device.Displaying such content may enable the user to interact with thedisplayed ad content to view and/or select for capture goods or servicesassociated with the ad content (hereinafter, “items”) to capture. Such acapture may be accomplished when the user device provides paymentinformation to the application server and/or when the user devicespecifies that content points and/or content currency (described below)are to be used to pay for the selected goods and/or services. In oneexample, the station server and/or application server may transmit a barcode, quad code, etc. that can be printed and used to access an event(e.g., concerts, sporting events, etc.) and/or as discounts or creditsto be applied to the capture of goods and/or services from a merchant bywhich the goods and/or services are being offered for sale.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server to provideaward points to the user profile when content is captured to the userdevice and/or ad content is viewed and/or goods or services arecaptured. The award points may be accumulated over time, purchased bythe user (e.g., using a credit card, by paying an invoice or bill, etc.)and/or may be pre-charged and/or regenerated in a manner describedherein. Such award points may be reflected in a bill that the userreceives from a service provider (e.g., an Internet service provider, abroadband service provider, a cellular network service provider, etc.)and/or from that with which the application server is associated. Theaccumulation of award points can act as a virtual content currency thatcan be used to pay for captured content, pre-ordered arrangements ofcontent, items associated with ad content, and/or to offset/reduce anamount of payment due that is reflected in the bill. The quantity ofaward points and/or currency may be tracked, managed, and/or updated bythe application server over time as content and/or items are captured.For example, a user may, as described herein, interact with the adcontent to capture items associated with the ad content using awardpoints and/or via an electronic transaction using a credit card, bankaccount, or some other form of payment.

Additionally, or alternatively, a user may accumulate award points on a“loyalty” basis, for example, based on the quantity of time a userand/or user device is registered with an applications server, number ofinteractions with a registered broadcast station, entity, artist/author,the quantity of time a user and/or user device is within the vicinity ofan entity registered with the application server, and/or logged into anapplication and/or website, as further described herein. Additionally,or alternatively, award points may be accumulated when a user purchasesgoods and/or servers from an entity that is registered with theapplication server. Additionally, or alternatively, the accumulation ofa threshold number of award points may make the user eligible and/orentitled a reward (e.g., free content, discounts, coupons, additionalaward points, etc.). Rewards may be provided by, for example, a stationserver, content server, ad server, application server, and/or some otherserver. In one implementation, an entity and/or content provider maysponsor content broadcasted and/or provide rewards to user devices(e.g., free capture of content, etc.) during while the content isbroadcasted.

The systems and/or methods may enable the application server and/orstation server to provide a catalog of content that can be accessed byuser device to permit content to be captured. The systems and/or methodsmay enable the application server to recommend one or more broadcaststations based on a location of the user device and/or user profileinformation (e.g., preferred genres). The user device and/or theapplication server may cause an audio video device with which the useris associated (e.g., in the users' car, truck, boat, etc. and/or on theuser's person) to autotune to a particular broadcast station based onthe location and/or user preferences as reflected in the user profile.The user device and/or application server may cause the audio videodevice to change to a different broadcast station based on adetermination that the different broadcast station is broadcastingcontent that corresponds to a preferred genre, title, etc. as reflectedin the user profile.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example environment 100 in which the systemsand/or methods, described herein, may be implemented. As shown in FIG.1, environment 100 may include one or more user device 110-1, . . . ,110-J (where J≥1) (hereafter referred to as “user device 110”), one ormore station server 120-1, . . . , 120-K (where K≥1) (hereafter referredto as “station server 120”), one or more content server 130 (hereafterreferred to as “content server 130”), one or more audio video device 140(hereafter referred to as “audio video device 140”), one or morebroadcast station 150 (hereafter referred to as “broadcast station150”), one or more application server 160 (hereafter referred to as“application server 160”), one or more database 165 (hereafter referredto as “database 165”), one or more ad server 170 (hereinafter, referredto as “ad server 170”) and a network 180. The number of devices,servers, databases, and/or networks, illustrated in FIG. 1, is providedfor explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additionaldevices, servers, databases, and/or networks; fewer devices, servers,databases, and/or networks; different devices, servers, databases,and/or networks; or differently arranged devices, servers, databases,and/or networks than illustrated in FIG. 1 For example, environment 100may additionally, or alternatively, include additional databasesconfigured to store data. The one or more additional databases may beassociated with any device, server, and/or network within environment100. Each device, server, and/or network within environment 100 may beassociated with a separate one or more database. For example,environment 100 may include one or more servers that act as a web serveror some other type of server that hosts a web site that can be accessedby user device 110 and/or a different server. For example, one or moreserver may host a website associated with social networking (e.g.,Facebook®, Myspace®, Twitter®, Flickr®, etc.), a business (such as, forexample, content provider, a broadcast station, a night club, arestaurant, etc.), a service (e.g., a location service associated withuser device 110 and/or other user devices 110), etc.

Also, in some implementations, one or more of the devices, databases,and/or servers of environment 100 may perform one or more functionsdescribed as being performed by another one or more of the devices,databases, and/or servers of environment 100. Devices, servers, and/ordatabases of environment 100 may interconnect via wired connections,wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wirelessconnections.

User device 110 may include any computation or communication device,such as a wireless mobile communication device, that is capable ofcommunicating with network 130. For example, user device 110 may includea radiotelephone, a personal communications system (PCS) terminal (e.g.,such as a smart phone that may combine a cellular radiotelephone withdata processing and data communications capabilities), a personaldigital assistant (PDA) (e.g., that can include a radiotelephone, apager, Internet/intranet access, etc.), a laptop computer, a tabletcomputer, a personal computer, a camera, a personal gaming system, oranother type of computation or communication device. In one exampleimplementation, user device 110 may include a global positioningsatellite (GPS) component that communicates with a GPS constellation toprovide and/or obtain location information associated with user device110. Additionally, or alternatively, user device 110 may include logic,such as one or more processing or storage devices, that can be used toperform and/or support processing activities on behalf of a user.

Additionally, or alternatively, user device 110 may include and/or beintegrated with audio video device 140 and/or equipment such as anautomobile stereo, a home entertainment system, a portable audio/videosystem, etc. User device 110 may be built in and/or included as anintegral component of an automobile (e.g., including a car, motorcycle,truck, boat, train, etc.), such as an automobile entertainment system,information management system that is integrated into, for example, thedashboard, center console, etc. of the automobile. Such a system mayenable the user (e.g., a driver) to interact with user device 110 (e.g.,by select a particular button on user device 110, using a voice command,etc.) to perform one or more of the functions described herein, such ascapturing or dedicating content and/or an arrangement of content.

User device 110 may further perform communication operations by sendingdata to or receiving data from another device, such as some other userdevice and/or server. Data may refer to any type of machine-readableinformation having substantially any format that may be adapted for usein one or more networks and/or with one or more devices. Data mayinclude digital information or analog information. Data may further bepacketized and/or non-packetized. User device 110 may include logic forperforming computations on user device 110 and may include thecomponents illustrated in FIGS. 2 and/or 3 in an example implementation.

User device 110 may host a copy of all or a portion of an application(described in greater detail in FIG. 5) to enable user device 110 tocommunicate with application server 160 (and other servers andcomponents in environment 100) and/or to register and/or access servicesprovisioned via application server 160. Additionally, or alternatively,user device 110 may access a website in order to access servicesprovisioned by application server 160. User device 110 may enable a userto provide information associated with the user (as further describedherein) to application server 160.

Station server 120 may include one or more computation or communicationdevices that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide informationin a manner described herein. In one non-limiting example, stationserver 120 may be associated with a broadcast station such as, forexample, radio station (e.g., over an amplitude modulation (AM)broadcast channel, a frequency modulation (FM) broadcast channel, a highdefinition (HD)/digital radio (DR) channel, etc.), a television station(e.g., over a television broadcast channel), an internet radio (e.g.,streaming media broadcast channel), a satellite radio (e.g., SiriusXM®satellite radio broadcast channel), etc.). In other non-limitingexamples, station server 120 and/or another server, as described herein,may be associated with an entity and/or artist/author other than abroadcast station, including for example, restaurants, night club, bars,hotels, halls, venues, band, artist, author, disc jockey, orchestra,symphony, chorus, group and/or any establishment (public or private),individual, or group that broadcasts and/or plays content. Stationserver 120 may access application server 160, for example, to register,provide content, and/or provide information associated with a broadcaststation. Station server 120 may also, or alternatively, enable abroadcast station to provide or modify content and/or informationassociated with a broadcast station, identify which content and/orinformation may be shared with other servers and/or devices, and receiveanalytics, as further described herein. Station server 120 may host acopy of all or a portion of an application to enable station server 120to communicate with application server 160, as described herein. Stationserver 120 may be included and/or integrated with a broadcast station150 and/or station server 120 and broadcast station 150 may be includedin a system associated with broadcast station 150.

Content server 130 may include one or more computation or communicationdevices that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide informationin a manner described herein. In one example, content server 130 may beassociated with a content provider that owns, licenses, or has access tocontent and/or content information and that desires to make such contentand content information available to a user and/or station. Contentserver 130 may communicate with application server 160 to registerand/or provide content and/or content information to application server160, user device 110, and/or station server 120. Additionally, oralternatively, content server 130 (and/or another server) may provide akey to application server 160 that enables the content to be encrypted,decrypted, etc. Application server 130 may provide a key to user device110 and/or station server 120 that enables a copy of encrypted contentto be decrypted and/or played (e.g., on user device 110). Additionally,or alternatively, content server 130 may cause a payment (e.g., royalty,incentive payment etc.) to be paid to a station, artist, author,recording label, and/or any other rights holder, based on the capture ofcontent. Additionally, or alternatively, content server 130 may beincluded in application server 160.

Audio video device 140 may include one or more computation orcommunication devices that receive and/or provide content and/or contentinformation, in a manner described herein. In one example, audio videodevice 140 may be associated with a user. Additionally, oralternatively, audio video device 140 may be a component of, includedin, and/or associated with user device 110. Audio video device 140 mayinclude an automobile stereo, a portable stereo, a home stereo system, atelevision, etc.

Broadcast station 150 may broadcast any information or content over anywired, wireless and/or over-the-air medium. Broadcast station 150 mayinclude a radio station (e.g., over an amplitude modulation (AM)broadcast channel, a frequency modulation (FM) broadcast channel, a highdefinition (HD)/digital radio (DR) channel, etc.), a television station(e.g., over a television broadcast channel), an internet radio (e.g.,streaming media broadcast channel), a satellite radio (e.g., SiriusXM®satellite radio broadcast channel), etc. Broadcast station 150 mayprovide content and/or content information to audio visual device 140and/or user device 110. Additionally, or alternatively, broadcaststation 150 may be in communication with station server 120, contentserver 130, ad server 170, application server 160, and/or any otherserver and/or device within environment 100.

Application server 160 may include one or more computation orcommunication devices that gather, process, search, store, and/orprovide information in a manner described herein. For example,application server 160 may host and/or execute an application (describedin greater detail in FIG. 5) to provide content (and/or contentinformation), ad content, services and/or perform operations associatedtherewith to user device 110, station server 120, content server 130,audio video device 140, and/or ad server 170, as described herein.Application server 160 may communicate with the devices, systems, and/orservers within environment 100 to register such devices and/or toprovide and/or register a copy of an application that is compatible withand/or supported by different types of devices, systems, and/or servers.Application server 160 may authenticate user device 110, audio videodevice 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170, to enable user device110, audio video device 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170, toaccess services, content, and/or ad content provided by applicationserver 160. Application server 160 may enable user device 110, audiovideo device 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170 to accessapplication server 160 in a secure manner, for example, via anapplication programming interface (API) and/or a secure protocol (e.g.,a tunneling protocol, a hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS), asecure sockets layer (SSL), an Internet Protocol Security (IPsec),and/or some other secure protocol). Application server 160 may also, oralternatively, use such secure communications and/or protocols toautomatically obtain (e.g., “pull”) information from user device 110,audio video device 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170 and/or fromwebsites hosted by such servers, and/or to receive such information thatis provided (e.g., “pushed”) to application server 160 from user device110, audio video device 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170.

Application server 160 may communicate with user device 110 to obtaininformation associated with a user and/or user device 110 to create(and/or update) a user profile, as described in further detail herein.Application server 160 may communicate with station server 120 to obtaininformation associated with a broadcast station and/or station sever 120(hereinafter, “station information”) to create (and/or update) a stationprofile, as further described herein. Application server 160 may sendand/or receive content and/or requests for content to and/or from userdevice 110, audio video device 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170.Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may send adcontent (and information associated with the items associated with thead content) to and/or may receive ad content from user device 110, audiovideo device 140, and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170. Additionally, oralternatively, application server 160 may send an item (e.g., ticket,coupon, etc.) captured via ad content and/or confirmations associatedtherewith. Application server 160 may process payment associated withcaptured content and/or captured items associated with ad content.Application server 160 may access user and/or station profiles to malecontent available to user device 110 and/or another device and/orserver. Application server 160 may send and/or receive requests todedicate content and/or confirmations associated therewith.

Application server 160 may also, or alternatively, receive and/orprocess location information associated with user device 110 and/or aphysical advertisement to determine a common geographic area, as furtherdescribed herein. Application server 160 may receive and/or processlocation information associated with a user device and/or user profileinformation and/or make station recommendations and/or to automaticallyadjust (“autotune”) the station received by audio video device 140based, at least, on such information.

Application server 160 may also, or alternatively, receive and/orprocess input associated with a competition, determine the successand/or failure of the input in relation to the competition, and/orcommunicate the success and/or failure to user device 110 and/or stationserver 120. Application server 160 may analyze information sent toand/or received from user device 110, audio video device 140, and/or anyof servers 120, 130, 170 to identify analytics associated with users,content, ad content, stations, etc. Additionally, or alternatively,application server 160 may provide award points to a user and/or userdevice 110 and/or store information associated with award points (e.g.,in a user profile).

Application server 160 may process information to conform to supporteddata format(s) for storage and/or further processing. Subject toreceiving consent, application server 160 may also, or alternatively,monitor usage, capture, dedication, and/or participation historiesassociated with user device 110, station server 120, content server 130,audio video device 140, and/or ad server 170 to update the informationreceived and/or provided over time to ensure that any changes and/orupdates are captured by application server 160.

Database 165 may include one or more devices that store informationreceived by and/or from application server 160. For example, database165 may store copies of an application that are supported by and/orcompatible with different types of user devices 110, audio video device140, and/or servers 120, 130, 170. Database 165 may also store a website(e.g., the code associated therewith) that user devices 110 or any otherserver may access to receive the services described herein. Database 165may store one or more user profile and/or one or more station profile.Database 165 may also, or alternatively, store content, contentinformation, ad content, award point information, etc. and the dataand/or metadata associated therewith. Database 165 may store anyinformation and/or data transmitted within environment 100.

Ad server 170 may include one or more computation or communicationdevices that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide informationin a manner described herein. For example, ad server 170 may beassociated with one or more entity or individual that desires to providead content (hereinafter, “advertiser” or “ad content provider”) to userdevice 110, station server 120, audio visual device 140, broadcaststation 150, and/or application server 160. Ad sever 170 may provide adcontent to broadcast station 150 and/or station server 120 forbroadcast, as further described herein. Additionally, or alternatively,ad server 170 may provide ad content to user device 110 based on userpreferences (e.g., included in a user profile), content, and/or alocation of user device 110. Additionally, or alternatively, ad server170 may provide ad content to application server 160, such thatapplication server 160 may, for example, include the ad content in auser profile, station profile, and/or send the ad content to a deviceand/or server in environment 100. Additionally, or alternatively, adserver 170 may be associated with broadcast station 150, station server120, be included in station server 120, and/or be included inapplication server 160.

Network 180 may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks. Forexample, network 180 may include a cellular network, a public landmobile network (PLMN), a second generation (2G) network, a thirdgeneration (3G) network, a fourth generation (4G) network (e.g., a longterm evolution (LTE) network), a fifth generation (5G) network, and/oranother network. Additionally, or alternatively, network 180 may includea wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan network (MAN), a telephonenetwork (e.g., the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), an ad hocnetwork, an intranet, the Internet, a satellite telecom network,overthe-air broadcast network, a fiber optic-based network, and/or acombination of these or other types of networks.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of example components of a device 200 that maycorrespond to user device 110, station server 120, content server 130,application server 160, and/or ad server 170. Additionally, oralternatively, each of user device 110, station server 120, contentserver 130, application server 160, and/or ad server 170 may include oneor more device 200. Device 200 may include a collection of components,such as a bus 210, a processing unit 220, a memory 230, a read-onlymemory (“ROM”) 240, a storage device 250, an input device 260, an outputdevice 270, and/or a communication interface 280. Although FIG. 2 showsexample components of device 200, in other implementations, device 200may include fewer components, additional components, differentcomponents, or differently arranged components than depicted in FIG. 2.Additionally, or alternatively, in other implementations, one or morecomponents of device 200 may perform one or more tasks described asbeing performed by one or more other components of device 200.

Bus 210 may include a path that permits communication among thecomponents of server 120. Processing unit 220 may include a processor,multiple processors, microprocessors, or other types of processing logicthat may interpret, execute, and/or otherwise process information and/ordata contained in, for example, the storage device 250 and/or memory230. The information may include computer-executable instructions and/ordata that may implement one or more embodiments of the systems and/ormethods. Processing unit 220 may comprise a variety of hardware. Thehardware may include, for example, some combination of one or moreprocessors, microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs),application specific instruction set processors (ASIPs), applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs), complex programmable logic devices(CPLDs), graphics processing units (GPUs), or other types of processinglogic that may interpret, execute, manipulate, and/or otherwise processthe information. Processing unit 220 may comprise a single core ormultiple cores. Moreover, processing unit 220 may comprise asystem-on-chip (SoC) or system-in-package (SiP).

Memory 230 may include a random access memory (RAM) or another type ofdynamic storage device that may store information and instructions forexecution by processing unit 220. ROM 240 may include a ROM device oranother type of static storage device that may store static informationand/or instructions for use by processing unit 220. Storage device 250may include a magnetic and/or optical recording medium and itscorresponding drive. In some implementations, memory 230 or storagedevice 250 may also be implemented as solid state memory, such asflash-based memory.

Input device 260 may include a mechanism that permits an operator toinput information to device 200, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, asingle or multi-point touch interface, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, amicrophone, voice recognition and/or biometric mechanisms, etc. Outputdevice 270 may include a mechanism that outputs information to theoperator, including a display, a printer, a speaker, etc. In the case ofa display, the display may be a touch screen display that acts as bothan input and an output device. Input device 260 and/or output device 270may be haptic type devices, such as joysticks or other devices based ontouch.

Communication interface 280 may include any transceiver-like mechanismthat enables device 200 to communicate with other devices and/orsystems. For example, communication interface 280 may include mechanismsfor communicating with another device or system via a network, e.g., anetwork interface card.

Device 200 may perform certain operations in response to processing unit220 executing software instructions contained in a computer-readablemedium, such as main memory 230. For instance, device 200 may implementan application by executing software instructions from main memory 230.A computer-readable medium may be defined as a non-transitory memorydevice, where the memory device may include a number of physically,possibly distributed, memory devices. The software instructions may beread into main memory 230 from another computer-readable medium, such asstorage device 250, or from another device via communication interface280. The software instructions contained in main memory 230 may causeprocessing unit 220 to perform processes that will be described later.Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or incombination with software instructions to implement processes describedherein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to anyspecific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example user device 110. As shown in FIG. 3,user device 110 may include a housing 300, a speaker 310, a display 320,a microphone 330, and/or a camera 340. Housing 300 may include a chassisvia which some or all of the components of user device 110 aremechanically secured and/or covered. Speaker 310 may include a componentto receive input electrical signals from user device 110 and transmitaudio output signals, which communicate audible information to a user ofuser device 110.

Display 320 may include a component to receive input electrical signalsand present a visual output in the form of text, images, videos and/orcombinations of text, images, and/or videos which communicate visualinformation to the user of user device 110. In one implementation,display 320 may display text input into user device 110, text, images,and/or video received from another device, and/or information regardingincoming or outgoing calls or text messages, emails, media, games, phonebooks, address books, the current time, etc.

Display 320 may be a touch screen that presents one or more images thatcorresponds to control buttons. The one or more images may accept, asinput, mechanical pressure from the user (e.g., when the user presses ortouches an image corresponding to a control button or combinations ofcontrol buttons) and display 320 may send electrical signals to aprocessor associated with user device 110 that may cause user device 110to perform one or more operations. For example, the control buttons maybe used to cause user device 110 to transmit information (e.g., via auser interface as shown in FIG. 9). Display 320 may present one or moreother images associated with a keypad that, in one example, correspondsto a standard telephone keypad or another arrangement of keys. Display320 may also, or alternatively, display a user interface (e.g., as shownin FIG. 9) which may enable user interaction with the systems and/ormethods, application, and/or a website for provisioning the servicesdescribed herein.

Microphone 330 may include a component to receive audible informationfrom the user and send, as output, an electrical signal that may bestored by user device 110, transmitted to another user device, or causethe device to perform one or more operations. Camera 340 may be providedon a front or back side of user device 110, and may include a componentto receive, as input, analog optical signals and send, as output, adigital image or video that can be, for example, viewed on display 320,stored in the memory of user device 110, discarded and/or transmitted toanother user device 110.

Although FIG. 3 depicts example components of user device 110, in otherimplementations, user device 110 may include fewer components,additional components, different components, or differently arrangedcomponents than illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, user device 110 mayinclude a keyboard, a keypad, and/or other input components. In stillother implementations, one or more components of user device 110 mayperform one or more tasks described as being performed by one or moreother components of user device 110.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of example components of user device 110. As shownin FIG. 4, user device 110 may include a processing unit 400, a memory410, a user interface 420, a communication interface 430, and/or anantenna assembly 440. Although FIG. 4 shows example components of userdevice 110, in other implementations, user device 110 may include fewercomponents, additional components, different components, or differentlyarranged components than depicted in FIG. 4. In still otherimplementations, one or more components of user device 110 may performone or more tasks described as being performed by one or more othercomponents of user device 110.

Processing unit 400 may include a processor, a microprocessor, an ASIC,a FPGA, or the like. Processing unit 400 may control operation of userdevice 110 and its components. In one implementation, processing unit400 may control operation of components of user device 110 in a mannersimilar to that described herein. Memory 410 may include a RAM, a ROM,and/or another type of memory to store data and/or instructions that maybe used by processing unit 400.

User interface 420 may include mechanisms for inputting information touser device 110 and/or for outputting information from user device 110.Examples of input and output mechanisms might include buttons (e.g.,control buttons, keys of keypad, a keyboard, a joystick, etc.); a touchscreen interface to permit data and control commands to be input intouser device 110 via display 320; a biometric device to receivefingerprint scans, retinal scans, facial signatures, etc.; a speaker(e.g., speaker 310) to receive electrical signals and output audiosignals; a microphone (e.g., microphone 330) to receive audio signalsand output electrical signals; a display (e.g., display 320) to outputvisual information (e.g., user interfaces, web pages, etc.); a vibratorto cause user device 110 to vibrate; and/or a camera (e.g., camera 340)to receive video and/or images.

Communication interface 430 may include, for example, a transmitter thatmay convert baseband signals from processing unit 400 to RF signalsand/or a receiver that may convert RF signals to baseband signals.Alternatively, communication interface 430 may include a transceiver toperform functions of both a transmitter and a receiver of wirelesscommunications (e.g., radio frequency, infrared, visual optics, etc.),wired communications (e.g., conductive wire, twisted pair cable, coaxialcable, transmission line, fiber optic cable, waveguide, etc.), or acombination of wireless and wired communications. Communicationinterface 430 may connect to antenna assembly 440 for transmissionand/or reception of the RF signals.

Antenna assembly 440 may include one or more antennas to transmit and/orreceive RF signals over the air. Antenna assembly 440 may, for example,receive RF signals from communication interface 430 and transmit themover the air, and receive RF signals over the air and provide them tocommunication interface 430. In one implementation, for example,communication interface 430 may communicate with a network and/ordevices connected to a network (e.g., network 130, etc.).

Additionally, or alternatively, user device 110 may include radiocomponents to receive content broadcast from broadcast station 150and/or user device 110 could be integrated with components on whichaudio video device 140 is based.

As described in detail below, user device 110 may perform certainoperations described herein in response to processing unit 400 executingsoftware instructions of an application contained in a computer-readablemedium, such as memory 410. The software instructions may be read intomemory 410 from another computer-readable medium or from another devicevia communication interface 430. The software instructions contained inmemory 410 may cause processing unit 400 to perform processes that willbe described later. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used inplace of or in combination with software instructions to implementprocesses described herein. Thus, implementations described herein arenot limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry andsoftware.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example framework 500 that may be associatedwith an application being hosted and/or executed on application server160. Additionally, or alternatively, the application may be hostedand/or executed on user device 110 and/or any of servers 120, 130, 170.The application may, for example, be executed by user device 110 toenable user device 110 to communicate with the other devices, databases,and/or servers within environment 100 and/or to receive the servicesdescribed herein.

Framework 500 may include logic in the form of software, hardware (e.g.,electronic, optical, etc.) or a combination of software and hardwarethat, when executed, enables application server 160 to perform thefunctions, activities, or tasks described herein. As shown in FIG. 5,framework 500 may include a collection of logical components and/ormodules including a user module 510, station module 520, content module530, ad content module 540, recommendation and autotune module 550,analytics module 560, business module 570, and/or control module 580.

Control module 580 may control a manner in which application server 160uses modules 510-570. User module 510 may enable content, contentinformation, ad content and/or any other information to be provided to auser of user device 110. User module 510 may, for example, include userprofile module 511, user preference module 512, user location module513, user history module 514, user payment module 515, user dedicationmodule 516, and/or award points module 517.

User profile module 511 may enable application server 160 to createand/or maintain a profile associated with a user and/or user device 110(hereinafter, “user profile”) from which information associated with auser, user device 110, content, and/or ad content, may be received. Sucha user profile may include user information (e.g., a name of user, anaddress of the user, a user email address, a sim URI, etc.), informationassociated with user device 110 (e.g., a network address, InternetProtocol (IP) address, a mobile directory number, an electronic serialnumber, etc.), an account number, a type of user subscription, etc. asfurther described herein.

User preference module 512 may enable preferences, associated with auser of user device 110, to be identified and/or managed. Thepreferences may, for example, identify a type and/or genre of content(favorite music genre, artists, songs, movie genre, etc.), goods and/orservices, etc. preferred by the user, which may cause application server160, station server 120, content server 130, and/or ad server 170, torecommend content and/or provide ad content and/or other promotionalmaterial, surveys, to user device 110, based on the user preferences.

User location module 513 may enable application server 160 to trackand/or monitor the location of user device 110 and/or obtain informationassociated with the location from a server device that provides alocation service. User location module 513 may also, or alternatively,enable application server 160 to identify if user device 110 is locatedwithin, adjacent, near, approximate to, etc. an entity and/or artistassociated with station server 120, as further described herein.

User history module 514 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track content provided to, rated by, and/or captured by userdevice 110. Additionally, or alternatively, user history module 514 mayenable application server 160 to manage and/or track ad content providedto user device 110 and/or which ad content was selected by a user forcapture, as further described herein. User history module 514 may also,or alternatively, enable application server 160 to manage and/or trackone or more competition in which a user participates and/or to manageand/or track content recommended to a user.

User payment module 515 may enable application server 160 to receiveand/or process payment information from a user device 110 (e.g., via acredit card, bank account, award points, etc.) for content and/or itemsassociated with ad content. Additionally, or alternatively, user paymentmodule 515 may enable application server 160 to securely store paymentinformation and/or track the revenue, payment, and/or proceedsassociated with a particular user and/or user device 110. Userdedication module 516 may enable application server 160 to receiveand/or send user input dedicating content to another user and/or userdevice 110, as further described herein. User dedication module 516 mayalso, or alternatively, enable application server 516 to manage and/ortrack content dedicated by a user.

Awards points module 517 may enable application server 160 to provideaward points to user device 110, for example, based on capturingcontent, listening time, competitions, captures of items associated withad content, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, awards points module517 may update and/or modify a user profile to reflect the award pointsassociated with user device 110, as further described herein.

Station module 520 may control how application server 160 communicateswith station server 120 and/or processes information associated with abroadcast station and/or station server 120. Station module 520 may, forexample include station profile module 521, station content module 522,station location module 523, station history module 524, and stationcapture module 525.

Station profile module 521 may enable application server 160 to createand/or maintain a profile associated with a broadcast station 150 and/orstation server 120 (“station profile”). Such a station profile mayinclude station information, information associated with station server120 (e.g., a network address, Internet Protocol (IP) address, a mediaaccess control (MAC) address, etc.), an account number, a type ofsubscription, etc., as further described herein.

Station content module 522 may enable application server 160 to manage,track, monitor, update, and/or modify the content associated withbroadcast station 150, station server 120, and/or a station profile.Station content module 522 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track content (and/or ad content) that is associated withbroadcast station 150 and/or station server 120. Station content module522 may also, or alternatively, enable application server 160 to manageand/or track content that is to be broadcasted by broadcast station 150(e.g., upcoming playlist, schedule, etc.), the times at which thecontent is to be broadcasted, content information associated with thecontent to be broadcasted, etc. and/or to update a station profileaccordingly.

Station location module 523 may enable application server 160 to trackand/or monitor the broadcast area of broadcast station 150. Stationlocation module 523 may also, or alternatively, enable applicationserver 160 to identify if user device 110 is located within, adjacent,near, in proximity to, etc. the broadcast area of broadcast station 150and/or an entity associated with station server 120, as furtherdescribed herein.

Station history module 524 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track content (and/or ad content) that has been previouslybroadcast by broadcast station 150. Additionally, or alternatively,station history module 524 may enable application server 160 to update astation profile based on the previously broadcasted content. Stationhistory module 524 may also, or alternatively, enable application server160 to manage and/or track one or more competition associated withbroadcast station 150 (as further described herein), including whetheror not a user was successful with respect to a competition and/or theprize associated therewith.

Station capture module 525 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track which content broadcasted by broadcast station 150 iscaptured by user device 110. For example, station capture module 525 mayenable application server 160 to manage and/or track the times, dates,and/or locations associated with user device 110 when content iscaptured and/or information associated with the content.

Content module 530 may control how application server 160 communicateswith content server 130 and/or processes information associated with acontent provider and/or content server 130. Content module 530 may, forexample include content information module 531, content capture module532, and content history module 533.

Content information module 531 may enable application server 160 tomanage and/or track content information associated with content. Forexample, content information module 531 may enable application server160 to identify which content provider has the rights to which content.Content information module 531 may enable application server 160 toprocess and/or transcode content and/or content information.Additionally, or alternatively, content information module 531 mayenable application server 160 to update and/or modify contentinformation. Content capture module 532 may enable application server160 to provide copies of content to a user and/or user device 110 thatrequests content. The copies of content may be based on the type of userdevice 110, such that the copy is capable with the type of user device110. For example, content capture module 532 may enable applicationserver 160 to provide a copy with the aspect ratio, frame rate,bandwidth, data format, etc. that is supported by the type of userdevice 110. Content capture module 532 may enable application server 160to track which content provider provided the captured content.

Content history module 533 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track the history associated with a content provider and/or acontent server 130. For example, content history module may enableapplication server 160 to manage and/or track content provided forcapture by a content provider and/or content server 130. Additionally,or alternatively, content capture module 532 may enable applicationserver 160 to track when user device 110 captured content, the locationof user device when it captured content, which broadcast station 150 wasbroadcasting the content when user device 111 captured the content, towhich broadcast station 150 audio video device 140 was tuned when userdevice 110 captured the content, etc.

Ad content module 540 may control how application server 160communicates with ad server 170 and/or processes information associatedwith an ad content provider and/or ad server 170. Ad content module 540may enable ad content to be provided to a user of user device 110. Adcontent module 540 may, for example include ad information module 541,ad capture module 542, and physical ad module 543.

Ad information module 541 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track the ad content associated with an ad content provider, adserver 170, broadcast station 150, and/or station server 120. Adinformation module 541 may enable application server 160 to manageand/or track which ad content is provided to user device 110 and/orstation server 120. Ad information module 541 may also, oralternatively, enable application server 160 to update and/or modify thead content associated with an ad content provider, ad server 170,broadcast station 150, and/or station server 120 and any respectiveprofiles associated therewith.

Ad capture module 542 may enable application server 160 to manage and/ortrack for which ad content user device 110 captures items advertised orotherwise associated with the ad content. Ad capture module 542 mayenable application server 160 to provide capture information to userdevice 110 that is associated with items associated with ad content.

Additionally, or alternatively, ad content capture module 542 may enableapplication server 160 to manage and/or track the items captured by userdevice 110 from an ad content provider and/or update any profilesaccordingly. Ad capture module 543 may enable application server 160 tomanage and/or track which ad content provider, ad server 170, broadcaststation 150, and/or station server 120 is associated with the ad contentselected by user device 110 and/or the ad content from which a capturewas made. For example, user device 110 may select ad content, receivecapture information associated with the selected ad content, and/orcapture items advertised or otherwise associated with selected adcontent and application server 160 (or another server) may track suchuser device interactions. Physical ad module 543 may enable applicationserver 160 to track and/or manage the location and/or ad contentassociated with a physical advertisement. Physical ad module 543 mayenable application server 160 to track which ad content provider aphysical advertisement is associated with.

Recommendation and autotune module 550 may enable application server 160to provide a recommendation associated with content, ad content, acompetition, and/or a broadcast station to user device 110 and/orstation server 120. Additionally, or alternatively, recommendation andautotune module 550 may enable application server 160 to automaticallyadjust (“autotune”) the frequency of audio video device 140 and/or userdevice 110 to a broadcast station based on, for example, locationinformation associated with a user and/or station information (e.g.,genres, content broadcasting, previously broadcasted, to be broadcasted,etc.).

Analytics module 560 may enable application server 160 to processinformation associated with content, ad content, capture of content,captures, etc. and create analytics. Analytics module 560 may enableapplication server 160 to provide analytics to station server 120,content server 130, and/or ad server 170 as further described herein.Additionally, or alternatively, analytics module 560 may enableapplication server 160 to filter analytics based on geographic area,time, broadcast station, content provider, ad content provider, etc. asfurther described herein.

Business module 570 may enable application server 160 to manage,process, and/or control payment for content (e.g., via credit card, bankaccount, awards points, etc.) and/or for items associated with adcontent. Additionally, or alternatively, business module 570 may enableapplication server 160 to perform billing associated with a user of userdevice 110 and/or to track revenue associated with content, ad content,broadcast station 150, station server 120, a content provider, contentserver 130, an ad content provider, and/or ad server 170.

Although FIG. 5 shows an example number of modules associated withframework 500, in other implementations, framework 500 may include fewermodules, additional modules, different modules, or differently arrangedmodules than depicted in FIG. 5. In still other implementations, one ormore modules of framework 500 may perform one or more tasks, functionsand/or operations described as being performed by one or more othermodules of framework 500. For example, framework 500 may include one ormore modules that enable application server 160 to provide contentand/or ad content associated with an entity, entity server, entityprofile and/or otherwise interact and/or provide the services to anentity as described herein.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example process 600 that may be used toregister a device and/or server according to an implementation describedherein. For example, application server 160 may receive a request toregister (BLOCK 601) from user device 110, station server 120, contentserver 130, ad server 170, and/or any other device and/or server withinenvironment 100. Application server 160 may obtain informationassociated with a device and/or server (BLOCK 402). For example, abroadcast station, associated with station server 120, may desire toregister with application server 160 and may cause station server 120 tosend a request to register with application server 160. Station server120 may also, or alternatively, provide information associated with thestation (e.g., name, station frequency, address, broadcast area, genre,etc.) and/or station server 120 (e.g., an IP address, MAC address,uniform resource locator (URL), an electronic serial number (ESN), etc.)to application server 160.

Additionally, or alternatively, in a manner similar to that described inthe immediately preceding paragraph, a content provider may desire tomake a copy of content available to a user and/or station and may causecontent server 130 to transmit a request to register with applicationserver 160. Similarly, content server 130 may also, or alternatively,provide information associated with the content provider and/or contentserver 130 including information that identifies a type of entity (e.g.,a service provider desirous of providing content and/or contentinformation offered by content provider) to application server 160.

Additionally, or alternatively, an ad content provider may desire toprovide ad content to a user and/or a station and may cause ad server170 to send a request to register with application server 160.Similarly, ad server 170 may also, or alternatively, provide informationassociated with the ad content provider and/or ad server 170 includinginformation that identifies a type of entity (e.g., an ad contentprovider desirous of providing advertisements for goods, services,events, etc.) to application server 160.

Additionally, or alternatively, a user may desire to capture content,receive ad content and/or other services described herein, and may causeuser device 110 to send a request to register with application server160. User device 110 may, for example, provide information associatedwith the user (e.g., user name, age, address, ethnicity, gender, emailaddress, telephone number, preferred content genres, paymentinformation, etc.) and/or user device 110 (e.g., a MDN, an IP address,subscriber identification module uniform resource identifier (SIM URI),etc.) to application server 160.

Application server 160 may receive the request to register and mayobtain, from the request, information associated with a device and/orserver (e.g., depending on which of server 120, 130, 170 or user device110 from which the request was sent) and/or information associated witha subscriber (e.g., broadcast station, content provider, ad contentprovider, and/or user).

As also shown in FIG. 6, application server 160 may create registrationinformation associated with a device and/or server based on the type ofsubscriber (BLOCK 603), create a profile based on the informationassociated with the device, server and/or the type of subscriber (BLOCK604), and output the registration information and/or a profile to adevice and/or server (BLOCK 605). For example, application server 160may, based on the type of subscriber, create registration informationassociated with the device, server, and/or the subscriber (e.g., username, password, personal identification number (PIN), a confirmationnumber, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160may create a profile, associated with the device, server, and/orsubscriber, that includes, for example, the registration information,the information associated with the device, the information associatedwith the subscriber, information identifying the type of subscriber,etc., and as further described herein (e.g., with respect to FIGS. 7-8).Application server 160 may store the profile in database 165. Based oncreating the profile, application server 160 may send a notification, tothe device and/or server, indicating that the device and/or subscriberis registered (BLOCK 606). The notification may also, or alternatively,include the registration information that the device may use to accessapplication server 160 in a future session.

Once registered, a broadcast station may use station server 120 to sendand/or receive content, content information, ad content, analyticinformation (as further described herein), etc. and/or receive and/orsend any other information to and/or from application server 160,another device and/or server; a user may use user device 110 to receivecontent, content information, ad content, captured items (as furtherdescribed herein), etc. and/or receive and/or send any other informationto and/or from application server 160, another device and/or server; acontent provider may upload and/or send content and/or contentinformation, receive analytical information, and/or any otherinformation to and/or from application server 160, another device and/orserver within network 180; and an ad content provider may upload and/orsend ad content that may be used to advertise items and enable thecapture of items and/or send and/or receive any other information toand/or from application server 160, another device and/or server withinnetwork 180. Application server 160 may monitor and update usagehistories and may create and maintain a profile associated with theuser, station, content provider, and/or ad content provider.Additionally, or alternatively, once registered, a user device mayaccess, download, and/or execute an application that may enable userdevice 110 to receive the services described herein. Additionally, oralternatively, in other non-limiting implementations, a device and/orserver that has not registered may still capture content (e.g., freetrial, pilot, etc.).

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example user profile according to animplementation described herein. User profile 700 may include userinformation 701, which may store, for example include a user's name,demographics (age, ethnicity, gender, job, etc.), type of user device100 (e.g., phone, tablet, laptop, desk, watch, etc.), contactinformation (e.g., address, telephone number, facsimile number, emailaddress, etc.), information associated with user device 110 (e.g., MDN,ESN, IP address, MAC address, etc.), and/or any other informationassociated with the user and/or user device 110. In one non-limitingimplementation, user profile 700 may be identified by on informationassociated with user device 110 (e.g., MDN, ESN, IP address, MACaddress, etc.), as further described herein. User information 701 mayinclude information that identifies a current location of a user thatmay be provided, for example, to application server 160 by user device110 (via a GPS mechanism associated with user device 110) and/or someother device ro server. Application server 160 may monitor informationsent and/or received by user device 110 and/or may update and/or modifyuser information 701, for example, based on the monitored information.

User profile 700 may also, or alternatively, include content library 702which may store content and/or content information (and/or arrangementof content) that has been received by, played on, captured, decoded,etc. by user device 110. Content library 702 may also, or alternatively,include information associated with music (e.g., artist name, title,duration, date and/or time obtained, etc.), video (e.g., title, author,subject matter, date produced, duration, etc.), non-music audio (e.g.,title, artist/author, duration, time obtained, etc.), podcasts (e.g.,title, artist/author, duration, time aired, etc.), user ratingassociated therewith, genres associated therewith, the broadcast stationassociated with the content, etc. Content library may include anidentifier, indicator, key, and/or an authorization associated withcontent (as further described herein) that may be necessary for the userdevice 110 to access content that user device 110 has captured and/orotherwise has rights to. Application server 160 may monitor informationsent and/or received by user device 110 and/or may update and/or modifycontent library 702, for example, based on the monitored information.

A user may access its content library 702 to play content via userdevice 110. For example, content that has been captured by user device110 at any time. Content that has been leased and/or rented may beplayed until the limits of the lease or rental terms expire (e.g., timelimits, allotments, data limits, etc.). For example, content (e.g., asong) may be captured to a user's content library for a limited timeperiod (e.g., 48 hours), after which time period the content may nolonger be available to a user. Content library 702 may also, oralternatively, be available to a user until the limits of the user'ssubscription are reached. For example, for an annual subscription, auser may only have access to content library 702 during the one yearsubscription term and any renewal term thereafter.

Additionally, or alternatively, user profile 700 may identify a user'spreferred genres 703. A user may specify his or her preferred genresduring registration and/or after registration via input to a user device(e.g., via a rating button on an interface). Application server 160 mayalso analyze user content ratings (as described in further detailherein) to identify a user's preferred genres. User profile 700 maystore one or more preferred genre for each type of content and/or myrank the preferred genres (e.g., country music, horror films, sportstalk, etc.) for each respective content type. Application server 160 maymonitor information sent and/or received by user device 110 and/or mayupdate and/or modify preferred genres 703, for example, based on themonitored information.

User profile 700 may include payment information 704, which may store,for example, information associated with one or more credit card (e.g.,credit card number, expiration date, security code, etc.), one or moreaccount (e.g., name on account, account number, routing number, entityassociated with and/or holding the account, etc.), award points (e.g.,amount available, amount used, etc. as further described herein), and/orany other electronic method of payment. Payment information 704 maystore priority information that identifies which method of paymentshould be used first, second, third, etc. As shown by way of nonlimitingexample in FIG. 7, a user may identify whether award points should beused to obtain content before a credit card is used to pay for some orall of an associated fee. In the event that the award points areinsufficient to obtain the desired content, application server 160 mayprocess payment based on the information associated with the one or morecredit card. Application server 160 may monitor, update, and/or modifypayment information 704, for example, based on the monitoredinformation.

User profile 700 may also, or alternatively, include listening history705 associated with a user and/or user device 110. For example, as shownin FIG. 7, listening history 705 may store information associated witheach content (e.g., content1, content2 . . . contentN, where N≥1)transmitted by audio video device 140. Such information may include,without limitation, the type of content, date transmitted, timetransmitted, title, artist/author, duration, etc. and/or the broadcaststation associated therewith. Application server 160 may monitorinformation sent and/or received by audio video device 140 and/or userdevice 110 and/or may update and/or modify listening history 705, forexample, based on the monitored information.

Additionally, or alternatively, user profile 700 may store informationassociated with a user's subscription 706 (hereinafter, “subscriptioninformation”). Subscription information 706 may store the type ofsubscription (e.g., annual, monthly, quarterly, weekly, daily, trial,free-trial, per transaction, etc.), the limits of the subscription(e.g., limits on content data, duration of content, subscription dates,allotments, etc.) and/or any other information associated with a user'ssubscription. Application server 160 may update and/or modifysubscription information 706.

User profile 700 may include award point information 707, which mayindicate the award points associated with a user. Award points mayinclude points, data, time (e.g., length of content), and/or other formsof redeemable units. For example, award point information 707 mayinclude the amount of award points a user currently has, the amount ofaward points previously used, redeemed, spent, etc. (hereinafter,“redeemed”), the redemption history associated with the redeemed awardpoints (e.g., content captured in exchange for redeemed award points,items associated with ad content captured in exchange for redeemed awardpoints, dates and/or times award points were redeemed, broadcaststations associated therewith, etc.) and/or any other informationassociated with award points. Application server 160 may monitor theinformation sent and/or received by user device 110 and/or may updateand/or modify award point information 707, for example, based on themonitored information.

Application server 160 may add award points to user profile 700 whencontent is captured by user device 110 and/or when ad content is viewedand/or items (e.g., goods and/or services) associated with ad contentare captured by user device 110. The award points may be accumulatedover time, captured by the user (e.g., using a credit card, by paying aninvoice or bill, etc.) and/or may be pre-charged and/or regenerated. Forexample, award points may be accumulated based on the amount of timeaudio video device 140 is tuned to a particular broadcast station and/oruser device 110 is logged into an application and/or website associatedwith the services herein. Additionally, or alternatively, award pointsmay be accumulated based on quantity of captured content, frequency ofcaptures, quantity of data, level of subscription, etc. Additionally, oralternatively, award points may be accumulated when user device 110 iswithin, adjacent, near, approximate to, etc. an entity (e.g.,restaurant, bar, venue, etc.) associated with station server 120 and/orthat is registered with application server 160. Award points may begeneral (e.g., application to capture all content and/or itemsassociated with ad content) and/or specific (e.g., applicable to captureonly certain content and/or items (e.g., associated with an entity)).For example, a user located within a restaurant (e.g., that isregistered with application server 160) may accumulate award points thelonger user device 110 is located within the restaurant. The awardpoints may be specific in that they may only be used to capture contentplayed within the restaurant and/or be used to capture items associatedwith ad content of the restaurant (e.g., coupons, gift cards, etc.).

Award points may be reflected in a bill that the user receives from aservice provider (e.g., an Internet service provider, a broadbandservice provider, a cellular network service provider, etc.) and/or fromthat with which application server 160 is associated. The accumulationof award points can act as a virtual currency that can be used to payfor captured content, pre-ordered arrangements of content, itemsassociated with ad content, and/or to offset/reduce an amount of paymentdue that is reflected in a bill. Application server 160 may storeinformation identifying how and/or when award points were accumulatedand/or redeemed. The quantity of award points may be tracked, managed,and/or updated by application server 160 over time as captures are made.

User profile 700 may include the history associated with ad contentreceived by user device 110 (hereinafter, “ad history 708”). Forexample, ad history 708 may include the name, subject matter, time,entity, etc. associated with ad content received by user device 110,items associated with ad content that have been captured via user device110, a broadcast station and/or ad content provider that may beassociated with the ad content, and/or any other information associatedwith ad content received by user device 110. Application server 160 maymonitor the information sent and/or received by user device 110 and/ormay update and/or modify ad history 708, for example, based on themonitored information. Additionally, or alternatively, a user may updateand/or modify (e.g., via input to user device 110) user information 701,content library 702, preferred genres 703, payment information 704,listening history 705, subscription information 706, award pointinformation 707, ad history 708, and/or any other information includedin user profile 700.

The number and type of information and/or fields in FIG. 7, with respectto user profile 700, is provided for explanatory purposes only.Additionally, or alternatively, station profile 700 of FIG. 7 mayinclude additional information and/or fields; less/fewer informationand/or fields; different information and/or fields; or differentlyarranged information and/or fields than are shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an example station profile according to animplementation described herein. Station profile 800 may store broadcaststation information 801, which may include, for example, programinformation, a broadcast station name, station frequency, address,broadcast area, genre, and/or any other information associated withbroadcast station 150. Application server 160 may monitor informationsent and/or received by broadcast station 150 and/or station server 120and/or may update and/or modify broadcast station information 801, forexample, based on the monitored information. Additionally, oralternatively, station server 120 may continuously and dynamicallygenerate and/or send information to application server 160, as furtherdescribed herein.

Station profile 800 may include captured content information 802 whichmay include a content name, artist, author, date, start time, end time,duration, show, etc., an identifier, indicator, and/or key associatedtherewith and/or any other information associated with content that isassociated with broadcast station 150 (e.g., been broadcasted, currentlybroadcasted, to be broadcasted, and/or otherwise associated therewith)and has been captured by user device 110. Additionally, oralternatively, captured content information 802 may include information(as described above) associated with a user of user device 110 and/oruser device 110 that captures the content. Additionally, oralternatively, captured content information 802 may store informationassociated with the payment and/or proceeds (or portion thereof)received by broadcast station 150 as a result of the content beingcaptured. Application server 160 may monitor content and/or contentinformation captured by user device 110 and/or may update and/or modifycaptured content information 806, for example, based on the monitoredcontent and/or content information.

Station profile 800 may store program information 803. For example,station profile may store current content information 803 a, which mayinclude a title, artist, author, broadcast start time, duration, etc.and/or any other information associated with content that is currentlybeing broadcast by broadcast station 150. Application server 160 maymonitor content and/or content information sent and/or received bybroadcast station 150 and/or station server 120 and/or may update and/ormodify current content information 803 a, for example, based on themonitored content and/or content information. Station server 120 maycontinuously and dynamically send current content information (e.g.,which song, show, interview, guest appearance, etc. is broadcasting) toapplication server 160. Application server 160 may receive suchinformation and may use such information to update station profile 800.

Station profile 800 may store future content information 803 b, whichmay identify content to be broadcast by broadcast station 150. Forexample, future content information 803 b may include a schedule ofcontent to be broadcast, content name, artist, author, date, start time,duration, etc. and/or any other information associated with content thatis to be broadcasted by broadcast station 150 (e.g., content 1, content2. . . contentM, where M≥1). Application server 160 may monitor contentand/or content information sent, received, and/or associated withbroadcast station 150 and/or station server 120 and/or may update and/ormodify future content information 803 b, for example, based on themonitored content and/or content information. Station server 120 maycontinuously and dynamically send future content information (e.g.,which song, show, interview, guest appearance, content schedule, etc. isto be broadcasted) to application server 160. Application server 160 mayreceive such information and may use such information to update stationprofile 800.

Station profile 800 may store previous content information 803 c, whichmay identify content that has been broadcasted by broadcast station 150.For example, previous content information 803 c may include a contentname, artist, author, date, start time, end time, duration, previousschedule, show, etc. and/or any other information associated withcontent that has been broadcasted by broadcast station 150. Applicationserver 160 may monitor content and/or content information sent,received, and/or associated with broadcast station 150 and/or stationserver 120 and/or may update and/or modify previous content information803 c, for example, based on the monitored content and/or contentinformation. Station server 120 may continuously and dynamically sendprevious content information (e.g., which song, show, interview, guestappearance, content schedule, etc. has been broadcasted) to applicationserver 160. Application server 160 may receive such information and mayuse such information to update station profile 800.

Station profile 800 may also, or alternatively, include ad contentinformation 804, which may include previous ad content information 804a, current ad content information 804 b, captured ad content information804 c, and/or future ad content information 804 d. Previous ad contentinformation 804 a may include a name, subject matter, time, entity, etc.associated with ad content broadcasted by broadcast station 150, itemsassociated with ad content broadcasted by broadcast station 150, and/orany other information associated with ad content broadcasted by and/orotherwise associated with broadcast station 150. Current ad content 804b may include a name, subject matter, time, entity, etc. associated withad content currently being broadcasted by broadcast station 150, itemsassociated with ad content currently being broadcasted by and/orotherwise associated with broadcast station 150, and/or any otherinformation associated with ad content currently being broadcasted bybroadcast station 150. Captured ad content 804 c may include a name,subject matter, time, entity, etc. associated with ad contentbroadcasted by broadcast station 150 and through which items have beencaptured by user device 110, items associated with ad contentbroadcasted by broadcast station 150 and that have been obtained by userdevice 110, and/or any other information associated with ad contentbroadcasted by or otherwise associated with broadcast station 150 andcaptured by user device 110. Additionally, or alternatively, captured adcontent 804 b may include user information (as described above)associated with a user that captures items associated with ad content.Future ad content 804 d may include a name, subject matter, time,entity, etc. associated with ad content to be broadcasted by broadcaststation 150, items associated with ad content to be broadcasted by orotherwise associated with broadcast station 150, and/or any otherinformation associated with ad content to be broadcasted by broadcaststation 150. Application server 160 may monitor ad content broadcasted,to be broadcasted, and/or captured by user device 110 and/or may updateand/or modify ad content information 804, for example, based on themonitored information. Additionally, or alternatively, broadcast station150 may update and/or modify broadcast station information 801, capturedcontent information 802, program information 803, ad content information804, and/or any other information included in station profile 800.

The number and type of information and/or fields in FIG. 8, with respectto station profile 800, is provided for explanatory purposes only.Additionally, or alternatively, station profile 800 of FIG. 8 mayinclude additional information and/or fields; fewer information and/orfields; different information and/or fields; or differently arrangedinformation and/or fields than are shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an example user interface that may bedisplayed on user device 110 (and/or be integrated into an automobileand/or audio video device 140) according to an implementation describedherein. In one example, application server 160 may send, to user device,information associated with a user interface (e.g., user interface 900of FIG. 6A). User interface 900 may be available to user device 110 uponregistration and/or upon logging into an application and/or website. Asillustrated in FIG. 9, interface 900 may include one or more field,object, and/or button including a display field 901, a contentinformation field 902, one or more rating button 903, a capture button904, a record button 905, a library button 906, a points button 907, ahistory button 908, a volume button 909, and/or a tune button 910.

In one non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 9, display field 901 mayindicate a broadcast station (e.g., channel associated therewith) towhich audio video device 140 is tuned. For example, display field 901may appear as a radio dial and/or include a station frequency (e.g.,displayed pictorially) to which audio video device 140 is tuned (e.g.,94.3 FM). Additionally, or alternatively, display field 901 may displayad content for viewing by a user. In other nonlimiting implementations,there may be more than one display field including a first display fieldthat indicates a station channel and/or a second display field thatdisplays ad content. Additionally, or alternatively, in othernon-limiting implementations, a display field may include ad contentafter content is captured (as described herein) and/or the type of adcontent and/or the items associated therewith may depend on, forexample, the location of the user device, content captured, thebroadcast station to which audio video device 140 is tuned, time of day,etc.

Content information field 903 may include content information associatedwith content that is being broadcasted, content that has beenbroadcasted, and/or content that is to be broadcasted. Additionally, oralternatively, in other non-limiting implementations, contentinformation field 902 may include information associated with adcontent. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, content information field 902may, for example, include a station frequency (e.g., displayeddigitally), content title, content artist/author, duration, timeremaining, etc. Volume button 905 may enable a user to adjust (e.g.,increase or decrease) the volume of the content. Tune button 910 mayenable a user to adjust the station frequency to which audio videodevice 140 is tuned.

Rating button 903 may enable a user to rate, rank, provide feedbackregarding, comment on, etc. content (hereinafter, “rate”). In onenon-limiting example, rating button 903 may enable a user to indicate apreference level for the content. For instance, as shown in FIG. 9, auser may indicate a preference level based on the number of starsselected by the user when the content is being broadcast (e.g., one starfor lowest preference, five stars of highest preference, etc.).Application server 160 may receive the ratings and/or may process therating to update and/or modify a user's preferred genre 703 included inuser profile 700. Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160may make recommendations and/or autotune audio video device 140 based onthe preferred genres 703, as further described herein.

Capture button 904 may enable a user to capture content. For example, inthe event that a user desires to capture the content being broadcast(e.g., John Doe's Love Song, as in FIG. 9), a user may select capturebutton 904 (e.g. a single button), which may cause user device 110 tosend a request for content to application server 160. As furtherdescribed below, user device 110 may receive an identifier, a key,and/or authorization associated with the content (enable user device 110to access and play the content) and/or a copy of the content such thatit is available to the user. Capture button 904 may enable user device110 to purchase and/or lease content. In other non-limitingimplementations, user interface 900 may include more than one capturebutton, where at least one button enables user device 110 to purchasecontent and at least one different button enables user device 110 tolease content. Additionally, or alternatively, capture button 904(and/or a similar button) may enable a user and/or user device 110 tointeract ad content (e.g., select to request capture information,capture one or more items advertised in ad content, additional adcontent, etc.).

Additionally, or alternatively, content library button 906 may enable auser to access a content library that includes the content available tothe user and/or user device 110, and/or a content library of anotheruser and/or user device (e.g., in the event permission has been given toaccess another's user device). A user may access a content library(e.g., via content library button 906) to, for example, search and/orselect content to be played.

Record button 905 may enable a user to record an audio input (e.g.,voice). For example, in the event a user desires to dedicate contentand/or respond to a competition (as further described herein), a usermay select record button 905, which may cause user device 110 to recordan audio input. As further described herein, user device 110 may sendthe audio input to application server 160 to dedicate content and/orrespond to a competition. Additionally, or alternatively, user devicemay send audio input (e.g., a voice message) to another user devicewithin network 180. Record button 905 may also, or alternatively, enablea user to record an audio input that requests content and/or provideanother command that may instruct user device 110 (and/or applicationserver 16) (e.g., to capture content, interact with ad content, captureitems associated with ad content, send messages to other user devices,adjust the station channel, etc.). User device 110 may send the requestfor content (and/or other command) to application server 160 to, forexample, capture content (as further described herein) and/or perform anoperation according to the command.

Points button 907 may enable a user to view award point information 707included in user profile 700. For example, in the event a user desiresto view award point information 707 (e.g., before purchasing content), auser may select points button 907, which may cause user device 110 todisplay award point information 707 (e.g., current amount of points,amount of points redeemed, history, etc.). User device 110 may also, oralternatively, display award point information 707 such that a user mayview the accumulation and/or redemption of award points in real time.Additionally, or alternatively, points button 907 may enable a user tosend award points to another user device and/or donate award points.

History button 908 may enable a user to view listening history 705, adhistory 708, capture history (e.g., capture of content, items associatedwith ad content, etc.), and/or any other acts and/or history associatedwith the user and/or user device 110. For example, in the event that auser desires to view the history of items (e.g., associated with adcontent) captured by user and/or user device 110, the user may selecthistory button 908 to view the user's ad history 708. Additionally, oralternatively, history button 908 may enable a user to view previouslydedicated content, user inputs, competitions and/or related usercompetition inputs, and/or information associated therewith.

The number of fields, objects, and/or buttons shown in FIG. 9, withrespect to user interface 900, is provided for explanatory purposesonly. Additionally, or alternatively, user interface 900 of FIG. 9 mayinclude additional fields, objects and/or buttons; fewer fields, objectsand/or buttons; different fields, objects and/or buttons; or differentlyarranged fields, objects and/or buttons than are shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an example process 1000 that may be used tomake content available to user device 110 according to an implementationdescribed herein. Broadcast station 150 may broadcast and/or sendcontent and/or content information over the air and/or via network 180.Audio video device 140 may receive the content and content informationand may, for example, play the content for listening by a user. Audiovideo device 140 may send the content information to user device 110(e.g., via wired or wireless (Bluetooth, near field, wifi, etc.)technology. User device 110 may receive the content information and maydisplay the content information, for example, so that a user canidentify the title, artist, duration, broadcast station, frequency,channel information, etc. associated with the content. In the event thata user desires to capture the content, user device 110 may receive auser input (e.g., via a user interface, displayed on a touchpad, thatincludes a button that enables capturing, as shown in FIG. 9) requestingthe content. User device 110 may send a request for a copy of thecontent to application server 160.

Application server 160 may receive a request (e.g., via a hypertexttransfer protocol (HTTP) or some other protocol) or a copy of thecontent from user device 110 (BLOCK 1001). The request may include, forexample, an identifier associated with user device 110 (e.g., MDN, ESN,etc.) that may enable application server 160 to identify a user profileassociated with user device 110, an identifier associated with therequested content (“content identifier”) that may enable applicationserver 160 to identify the content that is being requested, contentinformation and/or station information (e.g., name, frequency of thestation, channel information, etc.) that may enable application server160 to identify a station profile associated with broadcast station 150,etc. The request may also, or alternatively, include any otherinformation associated with broadcast station 150 that may enableapplication server 160 to identify a station profile associated withbroadcast station 150, any other information and/or identifierassociated with user device 110 that may enable application server 160to identify a user profile associated with user device 110, and/or anyother information and/or identifier that may enable application server160 to identify the content that is requested. Additionally, oralternatively, a request for content may include location informationassociated with user device 110 that identifies a location of userdevice 110. The location information may enable application server 160to identify a station profile associated with the broadcast content. Forexample, application server 160 may identify and/or select from (and/ordifferentiate between) two or more broadcast stations within ageographic area that share the same and/or similar broadcast channel.

Application server 160 may process the request to identify a userprofile associated with the user and/or user device 110 (e.g., bymatching some or all of the identifier associated with user device 110in the request with a user device identifier stored in the user profile)and to identify a station profile associated with broadcast station 150(e.g., by matching the station information to information stored thestation profile) (BLOCK 1002). Application server 160 may process therequested content to identify the requested content (BLOCK 1003). Forexample, application server 160 may identify the content by matching thecontent identifier included in the request to an identifier associatedwith the content stored in the station profile (e.g., in the programinformation), that identifies content that was recently broadcast, iscurrently being broadcast, or may in the future be broadcast.

Application server 160 may send, to the user profile, an indicatorand/or notification granting user device 110 (and/or any other deviceassociated with the user) access to and/or the ability to play thecontent (BLOCK 1004). In this way, application server 160 may make thecontent available to user device 110 and/or another device associatedwith the user (e.g., for playing). Once the content is available, userdevice 110 may communicate with and/or access application server 160,content server 130, and/or station server 120 to play the content. Forexample, application server 160 may generate a notification in a mannerthat includes a first authorization code. Application server 160 maysend the notification to user device 110. User device 110 may send toapplication server 160 a second authorization code. Application server160 may receive, from user device 110, the second authorization code andmay send the copy of the content to user device 110 when the firstauthorization code matches the second authorization code. Additionally,or alternatively, application server 160 may not enable user device 110to access and/or send a copy of the content to user device 110 when thefirst authorization code does not match the second authorization code.

Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may select aspecific copy of content that may be sent, captured and/or played by aspecific type and/or brand of user device 110. For example, applicationserver 160 may send a copy of the content with the aspect ratio, framerate, bandwidth, resolution, data format, etc. that is supported by thetype and/or brand of user device 110. Additionally, or alternatively,application server 160 may obtain a copy of the content and/ortranscode, convert, or otherwise format the copy of the content suchthat it may be supported by user device 110.

Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may obtain a key(e.g., from database 165, content server 130, station server 120, etc.)that enables the content to be encrypted, decrypted, etc. Applicationserver 160 may provide the indicator and/or notification to the userprofile (as described above) and/or a copy of the key to user device 110that enables a copy of encrypted content to be decrypted, downloaded,streamed, and/or played on the user device 110. In one non-limitingexample, in the event that the content is leased and/or rented, the keymay be associated with a lease that expires after a period of time.Expiration of the key may preclude user device 110 from decoding thecontent, playing the content, downloading or streaming the content, ormay cause an indicator and/or notification (that indicates that accesshas been granted to the content) to be removed from the user profile.Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may send a copyof the content directly to user device 110 and/or may cause anotherdevice and/or server (e.g., content server 130, station server 120) toprovide a copy of the content directly to user device 110. The contentmay be provided to user device 110 in near real-time (e.g., streaming,progressive download, etc.), user specified basis, and/or deferredbasis.

Application server 160 (and/or another server) may send a communicationto user device 110 confirming the availability of the content (BLOCK1005). Application server 160 may process payment for the requestedcontent (BLOCK 1006). For example, application server 160 may processpayment information stored in a user profile (e.g., credit card,account, etc.) and/or redeem award points associated with the userand/or user device 110 as payment for the content. Application server160 may provide payment proceeds to station server 120, content server130, and/or any other server or device associated with a party that isentitled to receive a portion of the proceeds (e.g., royalty, fee, etc.)based on terms of a pre-negotiated server level agreement (SLA).Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may provide aninvoice, bill, and/or payment confirmation to user device 110.Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may identify aportion of the payment to be provided to broadcast station 150 as aresult of the user device receiving access to the content.

Application server 160 may update the station profile associated withbroadcast station 150 to indicate that the content has been captured byuser device 110 (BLOCK 1007). For example, application server 160 mayupdate the station profile to include an indicator and/or notificationthat user device 110 has been granted access to the content, theidentifier associated with the user device, and information identifyingthe portion of payment to be provided to the broadcast station 150 as aresult of the user device receiving access to the content. Applicationserver 160 may also, or alternatively, update station profile to includethe specific content captured, information and/or identifier associatedwith user device 110 (and/or the associated user) which captured thecontent, and/or any proceeds associated therewith (e.g., to whichbroadcast station 150 is entitled or received) based on the SLA. Stationserver 120 may use such information to directly communicate with userdevice 110 (e.g., to send thank you, ad content, promotional material,coupons, discounts, other rewards, etc.).

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 10, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1000 may include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 10. Forexample, in other non-limiting implementations, user device 110 mayaccess a station profile to view and/or select content to be capture (ina manner similar to that described below with respect to FIG. 12).Thereafter, user device 110 may send a request for a copy of content toapplication server 160, as described above. Additionally, oralternatively, in other non-limiting implementations, user device 110may communicate directly with station server 120 and/or content server130 to obtain a copy of the content.

Additionally, or alternatively, a user may use the user device 110 tocommunicate with station server 120 and/or application server 160 topre-order a list and/or arrangement of content. For example, user device110 may communicate with the application server 160 to capture some orall of the arrangement at a time convenient to the user. Additionally,or alternatively, the arrangement may be ordered as unicast content tobe sent to user device 110 or some other user device 110 specified bythe user at a particular time and/or a specified time period (e.g.,during a party, during hours of operation of a restaurant or nightclub,etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, the arrangement may be ordered asmulticast content to be transmitted to two or more user devicesspecified by the user.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of example process 1100 by which applicationserver 160 may enable user device 110 to access an arrangement ofcontent, according to an implementation described herein. Applicationserver 160 may receive, from user device 110, a request to access theprogram information associated with station server 120 and/or broadcaststation 150 (stored in a station profile) (BLOCK 1101). The request mayinclude an identifier (and/or any other information) associated withuser device 110 that may enable application server 160 to identify auser profile associated with user device 110 (as described above) andinformation associated with broadcast station 150 that may enableapplication server 160 to identify a station profile associated withbroadcast station 150 (as described above). Application server 160 mayprocess the request to identify a user profile associated with userdevice 110 and a station profile associated with broadcast station 150,in a manner similar to that described above with respect to FIG. 10(BLOCK 1102).

Application server 160 may grant user device 110 access to the programinformation stored in the station profile associated with broadcaststation 150 (BLOCK 1103). For example, application server 160 may grantsuch access to user device 110 in the event that the station profileindicates that user device 110 (and/or another user device) may accessthe program information (e.g., based on user device 110 previouslycapturing content from the station profile, proceeds from transactionsinvolving user device 110, subscription type, user device location,etc.). User device 110 may access the program information associatedstored in the station profile associated with broadcast station 150,identify an arrangement (e.g., one or more, collection, series, group,etc.) of content included in the program information, and may send arequest to application server 160 for the arrangement of content.

Application server 160 may receive the request for a copy of thearrangement of content (BLOCK 1104). The request may include one or morecontent identifier for the content included in the arrangement ofcontent. Application server 160 may process the request for thearrangement of content to identify the content in the programinformation of the station profile, in a manner similar to thatdescribed above with respect to FIG. 10 (BLOCK 1105). Application server160 may send an indicator, notification, key, and/or copy of thearrangement of content to user device 110 making the arrangement ofcontent available to user device 110 and/or another user device 110associated with the user (in a manner similar to that described abovewith respect to FIG. 10) (BLOCK 1106). Application server 160 may send acommunication to user device 110 confirming the availability of thearrangement of content in a manner similar to that described above(BLOCK 1107). Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 mayprocess payment in a manner similar to that described above (BLOCK 1108)and may update the station profile associated with broadcast station 150to indicate that the arrangement of content was captured by user device110 (BLOCK 1109), in a manner similar to that described above withrespect to FIG. 10.

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 11, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1100 may include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 11. Forexample, in other non-limiting implementations, user device 110 mayrequest access to program information of more than one broadcast station(e.g., request access to more than one station profile) and may requesta copy of an arrangement of content that includes content associatedwith two or more different broadcast stations.

FIG. 12A is a flow chart of an example process 1200 by which a user maydedicate content. Broadcast station 150 may broadcast content andcontent information over the air and/or via network 180. Audio videodevice 140 may receive the content and content information and may playthe content for listening by a user. Audio video device 140 may send thecontent information to user device 110. User device 110 may receive thecontent information (BLOCK 1201) and may display the contentinformation. In the event a first user desires to dedicate content to asecond user (“target user”), the first user may provide, to user device110, user input (e.g., voice message, text message, email, etc.)dedicating content to the target user and/or target user device (e.g.,110). User device 110 may receive the user input dedicating content(BLOCK 1202) and may send a request to application server 160 thatrequests the content be dedicated (BLOCK 1203). The request to dedicatecontent may include, for example, a content identifier to enableapplication server 160 to identify the content to be dedicated, anidentifier associated with user device 110 to enable application server160 to identify a user profile associated with the user and/or userdevice 110, information associated with the target user and/or a userdevice of the target user (e.g., target user name, identifier associatedwith target user device (e.g., MDN, ESN, etc.) etc.) to enableapplication server 160 to identify a user profile associated with thetarget user and/or target user device, and/or information associatedwith broadcast station 150 (as described above) to enable applicationserver 160 to identify a station profile associated with broadcaststation 150 and/or station server 120 associated with broadcast station150. Application server 160 may process the request, identify a stationprofile and the content, communicate with station server 120 to dedicatethe content, and/or send a confirmation that the content has beendedicate to user device 110 (as described in further detail below). Userdevice 110 may receive, from application server 160, a confirmation thatthe content has been dedicated (BLOCK 1204).

FIG. 12B is a flow chart of an example process 1220 by which applicationserver 160 may enable the dedication of content. Application server 160may receive, from a first user device associated with a first user, arequest to dedicate content to a target user and/or target user device(BLOCK 1221). The request to dedicate content may include information,as described above, that may enable application server 160 to identify auser profile associated with the user and/or user device 110, a stationprofile associated with broadcast station 150, a target user profileassociated with a target user or target user device (e.g., 110) (e.g.,MDN, etc.), an identity of the target user, and the content to bededicated. Application server 160 may process the request to dedicatecontent to identify the content to be dedicated, the user profileassociated with the target user and/or target user device, an identityof the target user, a station profile associated with broadcast station150 and/or station server 120, in a manner similar to that describedabove with respect to FIG. 10 (BLOCK 1222).

Application server 160 may send a request to dedicate content to stationserver 120 (BLOCK 1223), which may include, for example, the identity ofthe target user, an identifier associated with the target user device,and/or the content identifier (and/or content and/or contentinformation). Station server 120 may process the request and/or maydedicate the content according to the request (e.g., to cause broadcaststation 150 to broadcast that the content is dedicated to the targetuser). In another non-limiting implementation, application server 160may send an indicator and/or notification to station profile 160indicating that content that is currently broadcasted and/or that is tobe broadcasted in the future shall be dedicated to the target user.Station server 120 may access the station profile, process the indicatorand/or notification, and communicate with broadcast station 150 todedicate the content accordingly.

Station server 120 may send a confirmation to application server 160indicating that the content has been dedicated according to the request.Application server 160 may receive the confirmation that the content hasbeen dedicated (BLOCK 1224) and may send a confirmation that the contenthas been dedicated to user device 110 (BLOCK 1225). Additionally, oralternatively, application server 160 may update and/or modify a userprofile and/or station profile to include information associated withthe dedication (BLOCK 1226). Additionally, or alternatively, applicationserver 160 may communicate with target user device (e.g., 110) to send anotification, alert, etc. indicating that content has been dedicated tothe target user (BLOCK 1227).

Additionally, or alternatively, a first user may dedicate content to atarget user device via network 180 and/or may cause a copy of thecontent to be available to a target user device. For example, first userdevice 110 may send a request to application server 160 to make contentavailable to the target user device. The request may include a contentidentifier, an identifier associated with user device 110 (MDN, ESN,etc.), and an identifier associated with the user device of the targetuser (MDN, ESN. etc.) to enable application server 160 to identify thecontent, a user profile associated with the first user and/or userdevice 110, and a user profile associated with the target user and/or atarget user device (in a manner similar to that described above).

Application server 160 may receive the request and process the requestto identify the content, a user profile associated with the first userand/or user device 110, and a user profile associated with the targetuser and/or user device associated with the target user (in a mannersimilar to that described above). In a manner similar to that describedabove with respect to FIG. 10, application server 160 may send anindicator and/or notification to the user profile of the target usermaking the content available to the user device of the target user.Additionally, or alternatively, as described above, application server160 may provide a key and/or a copy of the content to the user deviceassociated with the target user. Application server 160 may update theuser profile associated with the first user and/or user device 110accordingly.

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIGS. 12A and 12B,the order and/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting andmay be modified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocksmay be performed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1200 and/or 1220 may include additional steps,less steps, modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIGS.12A and 12B. In other non-limiting implementations, processes similar tothat of processes 1200 and/or 1220 may be used to enable a user todedicate and/or send ad content to another user (e.g., via user of userinput via a record button).

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of an example process 1300 by which a user maycapture items associated with ad content according to an implementationdescribed herein. Application server 160 may receive ad content (e.g.,an advertisement for tickets to an upcoming band concert) from ad server170, station server 120, application server 160, and/or an entity server(as described herein) (BLOCK 1301) and may send the ad content to userdevice 110 (BLOCK 1302). For example, application server 160 may send adcontent to user device 110 based on user profile information (e.g.,preferred genres, ad history, purchase history, etc.). Station server120 may send ad content to user device 110 based on, for example,content previously captured by user device 110 from a station profileassociated with station server 120 and/or broadcast server 150, and/orproceeds associated therewith. User device 110 may receive the adcontent and, in the event the user desires to capture an item advertisedand/or otherwise associated with the ad content (e.g., tickets, etc.),the user may make an input to cause user device 110 to send a requestfor capture information (e.g., information associated with purchase,download, etc.) for the item advertised and/or otherwise with the adcontent to application server 160. For example, a user may selectcapture button 904 (as shown in FIG. 9) to cause user device 110 to senda request for capture information for an item (e.g., tickets) toapplication server 160.

Application server 160 may receive the request for capture informationfrom user device 110 (BLOCK 1303). Application server 160 may processthe request to identify capture information associated with the items,which may include, for example, a charge (e.g., in award points,dollars, etc. including fees, taxes, etc.) for the items associated withthe ad content (BLOCK 1304). Application server 160 may send the captureinformation to user device 110 (BLOCK 1305). Additionally, oralternatively, application server 160, content server 130, stationserver 120, and/or an entity server may send rewards (e.g., discounts,coupons, free content, etc.) to user device 110 and/or to make suchrewards available through a user profile (in a manner similar to thatdescribed above). Rewards may be sent and/or made available, forexample, in the event user device 110 interacts with ad content. Userdevice 110 may receive the capture information and may display thecapture information for a user to review. For example, user device 110may display the items advertised and/or otherwise associated with the adcontent (e.g., tickets), quantity of items (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.),cost, taxes, fees, etc. In the event that a user desires to capture theitems advertised and/or otherwise associated with the ad content, theuser may make an input to cause user device 110 to send a capturerequest to application server 160. Application server 160 may receive acapture request from user device 110 (BLOCK 1306) and may processpayment (e.g., money, award points, etc.) to capture the itemsadvertised and/or otherwise associated with the ad content (BLOCK 1307).In the event that the captured items may be delivered electronically(e.g., electronic versions of tickets), application server 160 may sendthe captured items (e.g., in electronic format) to user device 110(BLOCK 1308). In the event that the captured items cannot be deliveredelectronically (e.g., physical items, perishables, etc.), applicationserver 160 may send a confirmation to user device 110 includingconfirmation of capture and information associated with the captureditem (e.g., shipping information, tracking ID, delivery date, deliveryaddress, etc.) (BLOCK 1308). Additionally, or alternatively, applicationserver 160 may send a communication to ad server 170 and/or anotherserver to request that the captured items be sent to the user (e.g., atan address included in a user profile, etc.) associated with the user.

Application server 160 may update the user's user profile (e.g., adhistory 708, award points information 707, etc.) and/or a stationprofile (and/or an entity server, as described herein) (e.g., ad contentinformation 804, etc.) to reflect the transaction (BLOCK 1309).

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 13, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1300 may include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 13. Forexample, in one non-limiting implementation, user device 110 may receivead content from ad server 170 and/or station server 120. Additionally,or alternatively, ad server 170 may send ad content to station server120, which may receive the ad content and send the ad content to userdevice 110 (a process similar to process 1300 may follow thereon).

FIG. 14 is a flow chart of an example process 1400 by which applicationserver 160 may send ad content based on the location of user device 110and a physical advertisement according to an implementation describedherein. An individual may encounter a physical advertisement (e.g.,billboard, sign, banner, in-store advertisement, street advertisement,sale advertisement of real estate, etc.) that includes advertising ofproducts and/or services, for example while the individual is travelingin an automobile. However, a user's interaction with the physicaladvertisement is often insufficient for the physical advertisement toimpart its intended effect on the user. Ad server 170 may track, store,update, monitor, and/or maintain the location of a physicaladvertisement and/or ad content associated with the physicaladvertisement and ad server 170 may send location information and/or adcontent associated with a physical advertisement to application server160. Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may store(e.g., in database 165) a profile that includes information associatedwith a physical advertisement (e.g., location, associated ad content,date of ad content, etc.) that may be updated, changed, and/or modified.Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may enable userdevice 110 to access (e.g., via the use of profiles) ad content in amanner similar to that described above with respect to FIG. 10.

Application server 160 may receive location information associated withuser device 110 (e.g., from user device 110 and/or some other deviceand/or server), location information associated with a physicaladvertisement, and/or ad content associated with the physicaladvertisement from ad server 170 (BLOCK 1401). For example, applicationserver 160 may obtain ad content from a profile that includesinformation associated with the physical advertisement and/or receiveinformation associated with the physical advertisement (e.g., location)from ad content server 170 and/or another server. Application server 160may process the location information associated with user device 110,location information associated with the physical advertisement (BLOCK1402) and may determine that user device 110 is in proximity of thephysical advertisement (less than a distance threshold of 100 ft., 200ft., 1000 ft., 1 mile, etc.), when the location of user device 110converges on the location of the physical advertisement, and/or mayidentify a common geographic area (e.g., radial distance, lineardistance, defined by coordinates, municipality, region, etc.) of userdevice 110 and the physical advertisement (BLOCK 1403). Applicationserver 110 may track the location of user device 110 and/or the locationof the physical advertisement (BLOCK 1404). For example, user device 110may continuously generate and/or send location information associatedwith user device 110 to application server 160. Application server 160may send ad content (associated with the physical advertisement) to userdevice 110, when application server 160 determines that user device 110is within the common geographic area, in proximity of the physicaladvertisement (e.g., above, below, beyond, etc. a threshold), and/orconverging coordinates with the physical advertisement (BLOCK 1405).User device 110 may display the ad content for a user to view. In thismanner, a user may view the ad content associated with the physicaladvertisement in a time sufficient for the physical advertisement toimpart its intended effect on the user. For example, user device 110 maybe integrated into an automobile and process 1400 may allow a useradditional time to view and/or interact with ad content that isassociated with a physical advertisement (e.g. billboard). Additionally,or alternatively, a process similar to process 1400 may follow to enablethe user to capture items associated with the ad content

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 14, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1400 may include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of an example process 1500 by which applicationserver 160 may recommend and/or autotune a broadcast station accordingto an implementation described herein. Application server 160 mayreceive location information associated with user device 110 and/orinformation associated with one or more broadcast station 150 (e.g.,from station server 120) (BLOCK 1501). Additionally, or alternatively,application server 160 may access a user profile and/or a stationprofile to obtain information associated with user device 110 and/orinformation associated with the one or more broadcast station 150.Application server 160 may access a user profile to identify userprofile information (e.g., preferred genres 703, listening history 705,content library 702, etc.) and/or one or more station profile toidentify station profile information associated with the one or morebroadcast station 150 (e.g., program information, genre, channelinformation, information identifying the broadcast area of the broadcaststation, etc.) (BLOCK 1502). Application server 160 may process thelocation information associated with user device 110, the user profileinformation (e.g., preferred genres, etc.), and/or the station profileinformation (e.g., program information, genres, etc.) to identify abroadcast station that has a genre and/or content is that similar toand/or consistent with the user profile information (e.g., preferredgenres, listening history, content library, etc.) (hereinafter, a“recommended station”) (BLOCK 1503). Application server 160 may send acommunication (e.g., text message, audio message, alert, email, etc.) touser device 110 identifying the recommended station and/or itsassociated genre, previous content, current content, future contentand/or start times associated with the future content (BLOCK 1504A).Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may communicatewith audio video device 140 to automatically adjust (“autotune”) thestation frequency and/or channel to that of the recommended station(1504B). In one non-limiting implementation, a user profile may specifyif the user permits application server 160 to autotune to a particularstation frequency and/or channel. Additionally, or alternatively, userdevice 110 and/or application server 160 may cause the audio videodevice 140 to change to a different broadcast station based on adetermination that the different broadcast station is broadcastingcontent that corresponds to a preferred genre, title, etc. as reflectedin the user profile. Additionally, or alternatively, user device 110and/or application server 160 may cause the audio video device 140 tochange from a live radio broadcast to a streaming broadcast in the eventthat the quality of the live radio broadcast deteriorates.

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 15, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1500 may include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of an example processes 1600 by whichapplication server 160 may provide content associated with an entity toa user according to an implementation described herein. User device 110may be located within, adjacent, near, approximate to, etc. an entity(e.g., restaurant, night club, bar, lodging, hall, venue, and/or anyestablishment etc.) and/or artist/author (e.g., band, disc jockey,orchestra, symphony, chorus, and/or any other group or individual, etc.)that plays and/or transmits (e.g., from its library, from a broadcaststation, etc.) content and/or is associated with content. As describedherein, environment 100 may include a server associated with an entityand/or artist/author (“entity server”) and the entity and/or artist mayhave a profile associated with the entity and/or artist (e.g., similarto station profile 800) (“entity profile”). User device 110 may capturecontent transmitted by, played by, and/or associated with the entityand/or artist/author. For example, in the event that a user desires tocapture content (for example, because a user likes a song played in anentity), the user may cause user device 110 to send a request forcontent to application server 160 (e.g., via capture button 904).

As shown in FIG. 16, application server 160 may make the contentavailable to user device 110 in a manner similar to that of process1000. Application server 160 may receive a request for a copy of thecontent from user device 110 (BLOCK 1601). The request may include, forexample, an identifier associated with user device 110 (e.g., MDN, ESN,etc.) that may enable application server 160 to identify a user profileassociated with user device 110, a content identifier that may enableapplication server 160 to identify the content that is being requested,an identifier and/or information (e.g., name, location, address,telephone number, IP address, other identifier, etc.) that may enableapplication server 160 to identify an entity profile associated with theentity. The request may include any other information associated withthe entity that may enable application server 160 to identify an entityprofile associated with the entity, any other information associatedwith user device 110 that may enable application server 160 to identifya user profile associated with user device 110 and/or the user, and/orany other information or identifier that may enable application server160 to identify the content that is requested. Additionally, oralternatively, a request for content may include location informationassociated with user device 110 to enable application server 160 to, forexample, identify the entity in which the user device is located (e.g.,by matching the location information associated with user device 110 tolocation information associated with an entity stored in an entityprofile).

Application server 160 may process the request to identify a userprofile associated with the user and/or user device 110 (in a mannersimilar to that described above with respect to FIG. 10) and to identifyan entity profile associated with the entity (e.g., by matching theidentifier and/or information associated with the entity included in therequest to information stored the entity profile) (BLOCK 1602).Application server 160 may process the requested content to identify therequested content (BLOCK 1603), in a manner similar to that describedabove.

Application server 160 may send, to the user profile, an indicatorand/or notification granting user device 110 (and/or any other deviceassociated with the user) access and/or the ability to play the content(BLOCK 1604). In this way, application server 160 may make the contentavailable to user device 110 and/or another device associated with theuser for playing. Once the content is available, user device 110 maycommunicate with and/or access application server 160, content server130, the entity server, and/or some other server, to play the content.

Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may obtain a key(e.g., from content server 130, entity server, etc.) that enables thecontent to be encrypted, decrypted, etc. and may send the key to userdevice 110, as described above. Additionally, or alternatively,application server 160 may send a copy of the content directly to userdevice 110 and/or may cause another device and/or server (e.g., contentserver 130, entity server) to send a copy of the content directly touser device 110.

Application server 160 (and/or another server) may send a communicationto user device 110 confirming the availability of the content (BLOCK1605). Application server 160 may process payment for the requestedcontent (BLOCK 1606), in a manner similar to that described above.Application server 160 may provide payment proceeds to the entityserver, content server 130, and/or any other server or device associatedwith a party that is entitled to receive a portion of the proceeds.Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may provide aninvoice, bill, and/or payment confirmation to user device 110.

Application server 160 may update the entity profile associated with theentity to indicate that the content has been captured by user device 110(BLOCK 1607), in a manner similar to that described above with respectto FIG. 10.

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 16, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1600 include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 16. Forexample, in other non-limiting implementations, process 1600 may be usedto capture an arrangement of content. Additionally, or alternatively, aprocess similar process 1100 may be used to capture an arrangement ofcontent from an entity and/or entity profile. Additionally, oralternatively, in the event that an entity is playing content broadcastby broadcast station 150 (e.g., the entity includes an audio videodevice as described herein), user device 110 may receive contentinformation from an entity server and a process similar to process 1000and/or process 1600 may enable the capture of content.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart of an example process 1700 by which applicationserver 160 may enable a user to participate in a competition accordingto an implementation described herein. For example, broadcast station150 may broadcast information associated with a competition(hereinafter, “competition information”) that is received audio videodevice 140. Competition information may include, for example one or morequestion, game, quiz, puzzle, first-to-respond, certain numberresponder, etc. associated with a competition to win a prize, money,etc. that is broadcasted by broadcast station 150. Audio video device140 may receive the competition information and may send the competitioninformation to user device 110. User device 110 may receive thecompetition information and may display and/or audibly transmit thecompetition information for a user. In the event the user desires toparticipate in the competition, the user may provide a user input (e.g.,via record button 905) responding to the competition (e.g., “usercompetition input”) to user device 110. The user competition input may,for example, include a voice command and/or recording of the userresponding to the competition. User device 100 may receive the usercompetition input and may send the user competition input to applicationserver 160.

Application server 160 may receive the user competition input from userdevice 110 (BLOCK 1701) and may receive information associated with thecompetition (e.g., including the competition information) from stationserver 120 (BLOCK 1702) that may enable application server 160 todetermine if user competition input is successful with respect to thecompetition. Application server 160 may process the user competitioninput and/or the information associated with the competition (BLOCK1703) to identify whether the user competition input is correct and/orwins the competition (BLOCK 1704). If the user competition input iscorrect and/or wins the competition, application server 160 may send aprize (e.g., in the event the prize is deliverable in electronicversion) and/or a confirmation of success and/or winning to user device110 indicating that the user competition input was correct and/or wonthe competition (BLOCK 1705). Additionally, or alternatively, in theevent that the prize may not be delivered electronically the applicationserver 160 may cause (e.g., via communication with station server 120and/or some other server) a prize to be sent to an address associatedwith a user (e.g., stored in the user profile associated with a user).

If the user competition input is not correct and/or fails to win thecompetition, application server 160 may send a confirmation of failureand/or loss to user device 110 indicating that the user competitioninput was incorrect and/or failed to win the competition (BLOCK 1706).Application server 160 may update a user profile associated with a userand/or station profile associated with broadcast station 150 to indicateparticipation in the competition by the user and/or user device 110and/or user device 110 was successful.

While series of blocks are identified with regard to FIG. 17, the orderand/or timing of the blocks is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may beperformed concurrently, substantially concurrently, and/or in adifferent order. Additionally, or alternatively, in otherimplementations, process 1700 may include additional steps, less steps,modified steps, and/or different steps than shown in FIG. 17. Forexample, another server within environment 100 (e.g., application server160, station server 120, content server 130, ad server 170, etc.) mayalso, or alternatively, provide competition information to user device110. Additionally, or alternatively, a user interface may have a buttonto contact (e.g., test, call, email, etc.) station server 120 and/orbroadcast server 150.

Additionally, or alternatively, application server 160 may provideanalytics to station server 120, content server 130, ad server 170,and/or another device and/or server within environment 100 (e.g., adevice and/or server associated with an artist, author, recordingstudio, and/or other holder of rights to the content), based on aquantity and/or frequency of content, ad content, competitions, etc.captured and/or participated in and/or the revenue associated therewith.As described herein, application server 160 may monitor and/or track thenumber of audio video devices transmitting a particular broadcaststation and/or content, the content captured by user device 110, and/orthe competitions participated in by user device 110. Additionally, oralternatively, application server 160 may monitor and/or track the adcontent sent to user device 110 and/or ad content associated with itemscaptured by user device 110. Application server 160 may store thetracked and/or monitored information in a station profile, user profile,and/or a profile associated with any other server and/or device toenable a broadcast station to monitor (e.g., in real-time) the analyticsand any other statistical data associated with the broadcast station,capture of content, competition participation, and/or ad content, forexample, during a broadcast.

In one non-limiting example (as shown in FIG. 18) application server 160may provide analytics to station server 120 showing the quantity ofcontent associated with one or more broadcast station that has beencaptured by user devices 110. The analytics may be relative togeographic area, market, user demographics, time periods,artist/authors, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the analytics mayidentify the content title, genre, time captured, amount of revenueassociated with the capture of the content, information associated withthe user(s) that captured the content, etc. Additionally, oralternatively, application server 160 may compare the analytics of oneor more broadcast stations (e.g., within a proximity, a market, ademographic, etc. with which the particular broadcast station isassociated) and may provide such analytics to a particular broadcaststation to enable the particular broadcast station to be compared withthe other broadcast stations.

The types, organization, orientation, configuration, and/or layout ofinformation shown in FIG. 18 is not intended to be limiting and may bemodified in other implementations. Additionally, or alternatively, inother implementations, analytics may include additional information,less information, modified information, and/or different informationthan shown in FIG. 18. Additionally, or alternatively, applicationserver 160 may send analytics (e.g., as shown in FIG. 19) to ad contentserver 170.

The foregoing description provides illustration and description, but isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to theprecise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible inlight of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of theembodiments.

It will be apparent that systems and methods, as described above, may beimplemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardwarein the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual softwarecode or specialized control hardware used to implement these systems andmethods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation andbehavior of the systems and methods were described without reference tothe specific software code--it being understood that software andcontrol hardware can be designed to implement the systems and methodsbased on the description herein.

Further, certain portions, described above, may be implemented as acomponent or logic that performs one or more functions. A component orlogic, as used herein, may include hardware, such as a processor, anASIC, or a FPGA, or a combination of hardware and software (e.g., aprocessor executing software).

It should be emphasized that the terms comprises and comprising, whenused in this specification, are taken to specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the presenceor addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, componentsor groups thereof.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in theclaims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are notintended to limit the disclosure of the embodiments. In fact, many ofthese features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in theclaims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependentclaim listed below may directly depend on only one other claim, thedisclosure of the embodiments includes each dependent claim incombination with every other claim in the claim set.

No element, act, or instruction used in the present application shouldbe construed as critical or essential to the implementations unlessexplicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” isintended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended,the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “basedon” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitlystated otherwise.

What is claimed is:
 1. A server device that communicates with a userdevice associated with a user, where the user device receives contentinformation that describes content that is broadcasted by an entityserver, the server device comprising: one or more processors executinginstructions to: receive, from the user device, a request for a copy ofthe content, the request including a first identifier associated withthe content, information associated with the user device, andinformation associated with the entity server; obtain a user profileassociated with the user device by matching the information associatedwith the user device to first information stored in the user profile;obtain an entity profile, associated with the entity server, by matchingthe information associated with the entity server to second informationstored in the entity profile; identify the content, in the entityprofile, by matching the first identifier to a second identifierassociated with the content stored in the entity profile; obtain thecopy of the content to enable the user device to access the copy of thecontent based on the identifying the content in the entity profile; andsend, to the user profile, a notification indicating that the userdevice is authorized to access to the content.
 2. The server device ofclaim 1, where the information associated with the entity serveridentifies an entity that corresponds to a restaurant, night club, bar,hotel, hall, establishment, event venue, individual or group ofindividuals.
 3. The server device of claim 2, further including a secondentity server, where the information associated with the entity serverincludes location information stored in the entity profile, where theinformation associated with the user device includes locationinformation associated with the user device, and where the one or moreprocesses are further to: process the location information stored in theentity profile, and the location information associated with the userdevice and location information associated with a second entity,associated with the second entity server, to differentiate between thecontent broadcast by the entity server and second content broadcast bythe second entity server.
 4. The server device of claim 1, where the oneor more processors are further to: identify a portion of a payment to beprovided to the entity server as a result of the user device receivingaccess to the content; and update the entity profile to include anindicator that the user device has been granted access to the content,the information associated with the user device, and informationidentifying the portion of the payment to be provided to the entityserver as a result of the user device receiving access to the content.5. The server device of claim 1, where the request for a copy of thecontent corresponds to a voice command.
 6. The server device of claim 1,where the content is encoded and where the one or more processors arefurther to: obtain a key that enabled the content to be encoded;generate the notification in a manner that includes the key; receive,from the user device, the request for the copy of the content, therequest including a key; process the copy of the content using the keyto decode the copy of the content; and transmit the decoded copy of thecontent to the user device.
 7. The server device of claim 1, where theone or more processors are further to: generate the notification in amanner that includes an authorization code; receive, from the userdevice, a request to access the copy of the content, the requestincluding another authorization code; and send the copy of the contentto the user device when the authorization code matches the anotherauthorization code.
 8. The server device of claim 1, where the one ormore processors are further to: receive, from the user device, a requestto dedicate the content to a target user, the request including anidentity of the target user, the information associated with the userdevice, information associated with a target user device, the identifierassociated with the content, and the information associated with theentity server; process the request to dedicate the content to obtain theuser profile, a target user profile associated with the target userdevice, the content and the entity profile; send to the entity server acommunication that requests the content be dedicated, the communicationincluding at least the identity of the target user and the identifierassociated with the content; and send, to the target user device, asecond notification identifying the dedicated content and an identity ofthe user associated with the user device, stored in the user profile,that sent the request to dedicate content.
 9. The user device of claim1, where the one or more processors are further to: receive, from theuser device, a response to a competition previously broadcasted by theentity server and the information associated with the entity server;identify, based on the information associated with the entity server, asecond server device associated with the entity server; receive, fromthe second server device, information associated with the competition;process the response and the information associated with the competitionto identify whether the response is successful with respect to thecompetition; and send, to the user device a prize or confirmation ofsuccess when the response is successful with respect to the competition,or a confirmation of failure when the response is not successful withrespect to the competition.
 10. The server device of claim 1, where theone or more processors are further to: receive information associatedwith a location of the user device; obtain, from the user profile,information that identifies a preference of the user; receive, from asecond entity server, information associated with second entity server;process the information associated with the location of the user device,the preference of the user, the information associated with the entityserver and the information associated with second entity server toidentify a recommended content, from the content or from a secondcontent from the second entity server, and send, to the user device,information associated with the recommended content.
 11. The serverdevice of claim 1, where the one or more processors are further to:receive, from the entity server, ad content that advertises one or moreitem; broadcast the ad content; receive, from the user device, a requestfor information associated with the purchase of the one or more itemadvertised by the ad content; process the request for informationassociated with the purchase of the one or more items advertised by thead content; send, to the user device, information associated with thepurchase of the one or more item advertised in the ad content; receive,from the user device, a request to purchase the one or more itemadvertised in the ad content; process payment information stored in theuser profile to purchase the one or more item advertised in the adcontent; send, to the user device, the purchased one or more item or aconfirmation confirming the purchase of the one or more item advertisedin the ad content; and update the user profile to reflect the purchaseof the one or more item advertised in the ad content.
 12. The serverdevice of claim 1, where the first identifier corresponds to locationinformation associated with the user device.
 13. The server device ofclaim 1, where the one or more processors are further to: receiveinformation associated with a location of the user device; receive, fromthe entity server, information associated with a location of a physicaladvertisement and ad content associated with the physical advertisement;process the information associated with the location of the user deviceand the information associated with the location of the physicaladvertisement to determine whether a distance, between the user deviceand the physical advertisement, is less than a threshold; and send, tothe user device, the ad content, associated with the physicaladvertisement, when the distance is less than the threshold.
 14. Theserver device of claim 1, where the user device is integrated into anautomobile.
 15. A method performed by a server device, executing one ormore instructions, that communicates with a user device associated witha user, where the user device receives content information associatedwith content that is broadcasted by an entity server, the methodcomprising: receiving, by the server device and from the user device, arequest for a copy of the content, the request including: a firstidentifier associated with the content, information associated with theuser device, and information associated with the entity server;obtaining, by the server device, a user profile, associated with theuser device, by matching the information associated with the user deviceto first information stored in the user profile; obtaining, by theserver device, an entity profile, associated with the entity server, bymatching the information associated with the entity server to secondinformation stored in the entity profile; identifying, by the serverdevice, the content, in the entity profile, by matching the firstidentifier to a second identifier, associated with the content stored inthe entity profile; obtaining, by the entity server, the copy of thecontent to enable the user device to access the copy of the contentbased on the identifying the content in the entity profile; and sending,by the server device to the user profile, a notification indicating thatthe user device is authorized to access to the content.
 16. The methodof claim 15, where the information associated with the user deviceincludes at least one of a MDN, serial number, brand associated with theuser device, or type associated with the user device.
 17. The method ofclaim 15, further including a second entity server and where theinformation associated with the entity server includes locationinformation for an entity, associated with the entity profile, and theinformation associated with the user device includes locationinformation associated with the user device, and the method furthercomprises processing, by the server device, location information for theentity, the location information associated with the user device, andlocation information associated with a second entity, associated withthe second entity server, to differentiate between the content from theentity server and second content from the second entity server.
 18. Themethod of claim 15 where the user device is integrated into anautomobile.
 19. The method of claim 15 where the first identifiercorresponds to location information of the user device.
 20. A systemcomprising: one or more user devices, executing one or more instructionsto: receive content information associated with content broadcasted byan entity server; one or more server devices, executing instructions,to: receive, from the user device, a request for a copy of the content,the request including a first identifier associated with the content,information associated with the user device, and information associatedwith the entity server; obtain a user profile associated with the userdevice by matching the information associated with the user device tofirst information stored in the user profile; obtain an entity profile,associated with the entity server, by matching the informationassociated with the entity server to second information stored in theentity profile; identify the content, in the entity profile, by matchingthe first identifier to a second identifier, associated with the contentstored in the entity profile; obtain the copy of the content to enablethe user device to access the copy of the content based on theidentifying the content in the entity profile; and send, to the userprofile, a notification indicating that the user device is authorized toaccess to the content.
 21. The system of claim 20, where the user deviceis integrated into an automobile.
 22. The system of claim 20, where thefirst identifier is location information associated with the userdevice.
 23. A server device that communicates with a user deviceassociated with a user, the server device comprising: one or moreprocessors executing instructions to: receive, from the user device, arequest to access audio content associated with an entity server, therequest including information associated with the user device andinformation associated with the entity server, the audio content beingcurrently broadcasted by the entity server, previously broadcasted bythe entity server, or to be broadcasted by the entity server in thefuture; obtain a user profile, associated with the user device, bymatching the information associated with the user device to firstinformation stored in the user profile; obtain an entity profile,associated with the entity server, by matching the informationassociated with the entity server to second information stored in theentity profile; grant the user device access to the content; receive arequest from the user device that includes a first identifier associatedwith the audio content; identify the audio content, in the entityprofile, by matching the first identifier to a second identifier storedin the entity profile; send to the user profile a notification that theuser device is authorized to access the audio content.
 24. The serverdevice of claim 23, where the first identifier corresponds to locationinformation associated with the user device.
 25. The server device ofclaim 23, where the user device is integrated into an automobile and therequest is a voice command.